Kingdom Hearts: Power of the Soul
by gohangeorge
Summary: The saga of four teenagers after the Heartless invade Earth. Not completely KH with mostly OCs, but there are a few KH concepts and cameoes. Intense and frequent action, some language. Rated M mostly for blood. Please R&R!
1. Character Intros

These are the character intros to my fanfic, "Power of the Soul."

This fanfiction is the saga of four teenagers after the Heartless came to Earth.

I do not claim to own any of the characters, concepts, or ideas borrowed from Kingdom Hearts. I do not claim to own any of the characters the heroes' weapons and fighting styles are based off of. Keeping with KH's artstyle, the heroes' appearances are described with manga characters. I do not claim to own them, either.

I do claim the original characters and original concepts.

The following story is a work of fiction. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Heroes

Note: the clothes described here are donned at the end of Chapter 5. Until then, they wear casual clothes.

Roy Hartmut – the "Red, Brave Spirit"

Age 17

Soul Color: Red

Weapons: 4 Swords (functional replicas of game/anime characters)

-Sephiroth's Masamune

-Kadaj's Souba

-Cloud's Buster Sword

-Ichigo's Zangetsu

Handedness: Ambidextrous (born right-handed)  
Eyes: Blue (Train Heartnet's eyes, but normal pupils)  
Hair: Brown (Fourth Hokage)  
Face: Train Heartnet (from Black Cat)  
Clothing: Roy wears a crimson trench coat modeled after Dante's (Devil May Cry 3), blue jeans, and a black T-shirt. He also wears leather boots and black leather finger gloves.

Roy is the central protagonist of the story (it is told from his perspective, excluding the interludes). He is a military child who has moved several times in his life, and that has made him into a loner; he avoids making friends so he doesn't have to feel the pain of losing more friends.

Roy is a master gamer and an avid swordsman; he has almost no life, and spends most of his time playing video games and training with his swords. Roy is also something of a dunce; though he is a slacker and a total gamer, he can't even tie his shoes.

Roy recieves a special wound early in the story that draws out his darkness and enhances his abilities (even further than the Heartless-altered world), and later gains the ability to fuse his swords into even more powerful blades.

Roy's fighting styles are derived from Jedi fighting styles; normally, he uses Form II - Makashi, in Dark Form he uses Form IV – Ataru, and in his final battles he uses Form VII – Vaapad. He uses the Batto-jutsu technique frequently with all forms.

Amy Riesa

Age: 17

Soul Color: Purple

Weapons: Ruroni Kenshin's Sakaboto (Ruroni Kenshin)

Handedness: Right-handed

Eyes: Brown (Temari from Naruto)  
Hair: Brown (Sakura from Naruto)  
Face: Anzu Mazaki (from Yu-Gi-Oh)  
Clothes: Amy wears a kimono like InuYasha's Robe of the Fire Rat. It also has the same abilities (immunity to burning). She also wears white sneakers (though they're rarely seen).

Amy is a serious artist who owns a sakaboto (reverse katana), and out of the four heroes is the smartest and most talented. She can draw just about anything; real, comic book, manga, you name it, she can draw it. Amy is also the only protagonist who can legally drive.

Amy possesses the ability of "materialization," the ability to make her drawings real. The only downside to this ability is that the materialized object is the same size as it was on paper. Amy is the one who drew (and therefore materialized) the main protagonists' new outfits.

Jason Rashar

Age 17

Soul Color: Blue

Weapons: Keyblade

Handedness: Right-handed

Eyes: Brown (Hikaru from Hikaru no Go)  
Hair: Black (Rock Lee from Naruto)  
Face: Yugi from Yu-Gi-Oh!  
Clothes: Orange version of Link's tunic with white pants and a whit undershirt (LoZ series) and black sneakers

Jason is a Keyblade master. He is even more of a slacker than Roy, but is also a lot thinner. He is also less enthusiastic about things, but will still stand up for what he believes is right.

Jason is also an avid game player, but doesn't play as many action titles as Roy. Jason, however, has more focus in his life than Roy.

Jason has a lot more light in his heart than Roy, who has mostly darkness. He is also a lot thinner than Roy; thus, he has greater speed but less strength. Jason's Keyblade also gives him an edge in battle, but since he hasn't wielded a sword prior to the story, it takes him some time to learn how to use it. Because Roy trained him, and since Roy is a fierce fighter, Jason developed more defensive skills.

Serenity Sheno

Age: 16

Soul Color: White

Weapons: None.  
Handedness: Left-handed

Eyes: Brown (Rinslet from Black Cat)  
Hair: Brown (Ino from Naruto before she cuts her hair)  
Face: Eve from Black Cat Clothes: Rinslet's dress from Chapter 12 (Black Cat)

Serenity is the only one of the main protagonists who can't fight at all. Despite this, she is resolved to come along, if only because she is Jason's girlfriend.

Serenity is one of two pure-hearted characters in the story, her heart being untainted by darkness.

Serenity is a total geek, and frequently shops at Hot Topic. She is a plain and simple, classic geek.

The only special skill Serenity possesses is a sixth sense of being able to "feel" how much light or darkness is in a person's heart and soul.

**Antagonists **

The Heartless

The Heartless invade our world early in the story. It is the coming of the Heartless that awaken the heroes' latent abilities (i.e. Amy's Materialization).

Most Heartless in this story appear as their once-human counterparts; thus, entire cities are populated by Heartless.

The heroes fight them off with their weapons, but since Serenity has a pure heart, she doesn't need to worry about the Heartless.

Nobodies

Though there are Nobodies in this story, none of them are truly antagonists. Since they don't have hearts, they are regarded as inconsequential by the Heartless as well as the Order of Light. Nobodies in this story resemble their once-human counterparts, but lack emotion. They only do what is in their best interest.

Nobodies are referred to as "_nihil_" by the Order of Light.

The Order of Light

An elite group composed of nearly pure-hearted members, the members of the Order of Light are the main antagonists. The Order of Light seeks to "purify the world," which essentially means the slaughter of anyone who doesn't have a pure or nearly pure heart. Their powers are based on the Chinese Elements. There are only 5 Members, one for each element, with a "Master" who directs them. The "Master" controls all the elements, as well as light itself. Each member has absolute control of their element.  
-Earth: empowered by fire, weak to wood -Metal: empowered by earth, weak to fire -Water: empowered by metal, weak to earth -Wood: empowered by water, weak to metal -Fire: empowered by wood, weak to water Each member of the Order wears a trench coat colored to symbolize their element, as well as having the Japanese character for that element on the back.

The Order of Light can control people with their element (primarily water and metal), but never do so during battle, as they are honorable fighters.

The Order of Light also controls powerful beings known as Luce, beings of pure light. These beings appear as upright, shining, yellow humanoid figures. They are immune to most attacks (except dark elemental abilities).


	2. Prolouge to Chapter 10

**Prologue: Dawn of Darkness**

It was the last month of summer vacation, and my dad was on tour in Germany. He had let me and the rest of my family stay in Washington. My mom had gone to see him a month before his tour was up. She was staying there two weeks, but little did we all know, our vacations were about to be cut short…

Well, maybe I should start with a little about myself. I'm Roy Hartmut, a 17 year old geek who has nothing better to do with my time than play video games and train with my swords. I'm actually pretty good. I've learned to wield four different types of swords; a massive katana modeled after Sephiroth's from Final Fantasy VII, a twin-bladed katana modeled after Kadaj's from FFVII: Advent Children, a giant-knife type sword modeled after Ichigo's Zangetsu, and a functional replica of Cloud's Buster Sword. Yeah, I'm 17 and lack much direction in my life. I've never had a job and don't have enough common sense to learn how to drive! I've moved a lot… and that's made me into a loner.

Well, anyway, I'd been in our fenced backyard training with my four swords (which my parents don't like me owning, I must add), and got really thirsty. So I headed inside to get a drink. My crazy grandma was in there, and my older brother was out at work. My little bro was off somewhere playing on his laptop. "Wow, you look really tired! You must be training hard!" my grandma said in her silly, airy, and annoying voice. "Yeah, I'm trying to use two of my swords at once," I said. "The twin-edged one and the giant knife." I thought to myself, duh, I'm tired! You try swinging around two ten-pound swords for two hours and not be tired! "Well, I'll go see how Jake is doing and then I'll get back to my training." I told my grandma as I poured myself a glass of root beer. "Okay," my grandma said. Well, with all my swords still equipped (I carry my Katanas at my side and my other swords on my back) I went down our hallway to my little brother's room. I slowly strode up to his doorway when I heard his loud, snappy voice. "What?" he snapped as I walked up to his doorway. He was lying on his bed, and I noticed he had slammed shut his laptop. "Nothing," I said. "Just wanted to see what you were up to." My little brother had always been real demanding and secretive; you never knew what he was up to, but it was usually playing around on Neopets or some other crap like that. "Why does it matter to you?" he retorted. "Just wanted to know, geez…" I muttered as I walked off. I really wish I knew what his problem was, I thought to myself as I walked down the hall, sipping my root beer. I stopped in the middle of the hallway and leaned against the wall to finish my drink because I didn't want to get caught up in one of my grandma's insufferable attempts at small talk, then I walked back into the kitchen and put my cup in the sink. Okay, I'll train for another half- hour and then call it a day, I thought to myself.

I'd been outside for a few minutes, probably five or ten, when I had noticed the sky had turned a dark color, completely different from the sunny, clear day it was just a few minutes ago. Guess this training session's gonna be cut short, I thought to myself. I started walking inside; I noticed the sky was getting darker by the second. "Huh, weird," I muttered to myself.

After I got inside I went back to my little bro's room, and told him about how dark the sky had gotten. He looked outside. "Yeah, it is real dark. The sky's pitch black," he remarked. "Really? It was pretty dark before, but pitch black?" I said. I peeked outside, and sure enough, the sky was as dark as midnight. The streetlights had come on.

"Must be one heck of a storm," I muttered. My little bro had gone back to fiddling around on his laptop. "Roy… Roy…" I heard him say in a terrified tone. "What? What are you so afraid of?" I asked. "It's… it's a… Heartless!" he shouted, instantly diverting my attention to his doorway. Sure enough, there was a Shadow Heatless at the door. "A… Heartless? But those are in Kingdom Hearts!" I yelled. The little creep went into the ground and slinked its way up to the bed. By that time I had pulled out my Zangetsu, and struck it as it popped out. "Ha! Those puny little creeps are nothin'!" I exclaimed. Just then, there was a scream from the living room. "Jake, stay here! It's probably grandma!" I yelled. "But Roy! I can't defend myself with my bare fists!" "Here you go." I tossed my Souba at him. "You can use that for a little while. But I'll need it back. Swords aren't for 12 year olds." I said. He didn't say anything else as I walked out of the room, but I'm pretty sure I saw some tears in his eyes.

As I ran into the living room, I saw my grandma covered in Shadows. "Back, you filthy beasts! Back!" I yelled as I slashed my way through the wretches. I realized my efforts had been in vain when I saw a heart float up through the darkness. "I…" was the only thing I could say.

'course, there's no rest for the weary. I heard another scream, and guess what? Yep, it was my little bro, Jake. When I got to his bedroom and I saw he wasn't there, I guessed what had happened. "Little bro"  
I started to cry, and picked up my Souba off of the floor. "I couldn't protect you… and that's what I always try and do. I wasn't strong enough."

"Grandma… Jake…" I cried. Heh, even cold-hearted jerks like me cry when they lose their family. With that, I could only surmise what had happened (or would happen) to the rest of my family. "I swear… I swear I'll avenge you guys… somehow." I said.  
"Well, now that I'm alone…" I cried a little more, "I think the best bet of mine would be to go to the High School. Even if I do hate it, I can't think of anywhere else people would gather, besides maybe the movie theater." I said to myself. "Maybe there'll be some other people there"

And with that, I, Roy Hartmut, started a journey that would push me to my limits… to the limits of strength, to the limits of sorrow and despair…

**Chapter One:Shadows in the Hero's Heart**

As I walked down the road, toting all my blades and a backpack with emergency provisions, I noticed the sky had gotten a little lighter (just a little). That was the major storm, I thought to myself, There will still be Heartless, but I doubt there will be so many. Still, I need to be vigilant. Never know when they could strike. I continued walking down the road until I came to a three way intersection. Which way was the school again? I asked myself. Hm… left, I think it was. As I took the turn, I felt… odd, somehow. I felt like I was stronger and faster than ever before. More weird stuff. Must be because of the Heartless, I thought to myself.

I had just started walking down the left turn when I saw dark clouds appear directly in front of me. Damn, they found me! I watched as the Shadows fell into the ground, and resurfaced. "It… can't be… It can't…" I said in wonder and terror.  
The Heartless that stood before me looked like my classmates, as well as some older looking people, likely their parents. As I stood in awe, the creeps plunged into the ground and came after me. "… wait! These creatures are simply the manifestation of the peoples' darkness! It's not really them… just their fading echoes!" I said to myself.

I'll only need one blade for this, I thought to myself as I tossed my backpack to the side of the road. As the creatures shifted out of the ground, I rested my hands on my Masamune, and got into a batto-jutsu stance. Then I charged at them, did the batto-jutsu, and probably slew about a dozen of them at once. Then the mass of creatures (probably about three dozen, I'm not sure how many) swarmed at me. Damn, this is too many! I thought to myself as they nearly overtook me. I continued to slash the pitiful creatures, and soon there was only a single Heartless left. So, that's what's become of Jake… I thought to myself. The last Heartless that stood before me bore Jake's image. It's just his fading echo, I reassured myself. Just his fading echo!

I brashly charged at the pitiful remnants of my little brother, Masamune in a Sephiroth-style pose. He jumped too high for me to hit as I swung my blade at him, and came down hard, hitting me on the head and knocking me onto the concrete road. After that, I quickly got up and thought to myself, this sword is too big for just one guy. I'm not good enough to use it on single enemies yet. I quickly sheathed my Masamune and pulled out my Souba. Perfect! I thought to myself.

I held the blade in Kadaj's fighting style (as if it were a dagger) and waited for Jake's Heartless to attack. He quickly came running after me, and I readied my blade. After he was just in my range, I slashed at him, and took him out instantly. No sooner had I sheathed my blade and picked up my backpack, then I heard someone… clapping. "Who's there?" I shouted. But the somehow sinister clapping continued. "I said, WHO'S THERE!" I yelled. The clapping ceased, but I still felt a presence. I soon met the one who had been, for some reason, congratulating my victory. "Even stronger than anticipated…" I heard a rough voice say. "Perhaps you are the one…" I heard as a grey coated man walked out into the road from the woods lining the road. He had short, blonde hair and green eyes. "Roy Hartmut, age 17. Perhaps you are the Keyblade master?" He said as he strode up to me casually.

"Keyblade? I don't need a big key!" I yelled to the man. "No need to be so loud, boy," the man said. "I simply wished to know if you are the Keyblade master, but it appears that you are not. Also, your heart…" "My heart? What about it?" I said. "I need to know if you exist in the realm of light or the realm of darkness. The test will be short but conclusive." He said. "I won't be subject to some test by a grey-coated creep who I just met!" I shouted. "It's not like you have a choice," the man said coldly. "What…? I… can't move!" I could barely say as I felt my arms moving on their own to behind my back, in a position like I were handcuffed. "Be thankful I'm letting you talk," the main said, again cold as ice. "Now, for the test of your heart…" I heard him mutter as he walked up to me. "Wait! Lemme…" was all I could say before he silenced me somehow. I could no longer move my body at all.

The grey-coated man took my Zangetsu and held it at arms length. "A regular steel sword, eh? This weapon is useless against me. Test time!" I heard him say in an insane sounding voice. Strangely, I saw the blade float up and rest just on my right shoulder. Then it glowed a yellow color. "Judgment time!" he said. And with that, I felt the blade sink into my skin with a searing heat and absolutely excruciating pain. It felt as though my heart and soul were struck by that light… and some part of me that I hate came to the surface…  
I blacked out for a few seconds after that from the pain, but came to just as I heard the man saying, "Dark heart… no Keyblade master yet. I'll just leave this one to die here. He probably won't survive," he said as he walked off. I stood up, pain still racking my body and nearly causing me to pass out, and picked up my Zangetsu (somehow). I staggered over to the side of the road, blade still in my right hand, holding my now bleeding right shoulder with my left hand. I collapsed soon after, and was digging my hands into the dirt because the pain was so intense. That was the last thing I remember before I passed out.

_If you go there…_

That was the first time I realized… I had a heart steeped in darkness. All the pain and sorrow of losing my friends over and over had made me a loner… and a dark-hearted warrior.

**Chapter Two: Gathering of Hope**

I'm not sure how long I was out, probably an hour or two. I felt a warm light on my face and a throbbing pain in my right shoulder… I groaned as I got up. Was that man in grey a dream, or was it all… My doubts were soon put to an end as I looked at my right shoulder. There was a huge black gash I could see through my T-shirt. Damn! What did he do to me? Must be a bruise or a really deep cut… I thought to myself as I got up.

By now, the dark clouds had dissipated completely and I could feel the comforting warmth of sunlight. I put my Zangetsu in its sheath on my back and then stretched out a little. Gotta get goin' to the school… no telling how long I was out! I thought. And with that, I resumed my journey to get to the school.

It took me a couple of hours to get to our High School. I'm not exactly an athletic person, but I did go on hikes when we lived in Germany. Of course, nothing is as simple as that, as I ran into a few groups of Heartless along the way. I used my newfound strength and speed to dispatch them with ease.

As I walked up to the school gate, I noticed that though the sunlight was comforting, an eerie silence pervaded my being. It was quiet… a little too quiet for a rallying of peoples. I continued to walk up to the door, and opened it, then walked into the cafeteria.  
There was only one person there: Amy Riesa. She was one of those anime geeks that I had gotten acquainted with over the year; she was a serious artist. I had wished we could have formed a more solid friendship over the year, but because of who I am I had done my best to avoid making friends, even though this was supposed to be my last move. "Roy? You're still alive?" she asked me. "Yeah… don't count me out so soon!" I half-laughed. "We're the only ones who made it… or had enough sense to come here, by the looks of it," I muttered. "You never know, Roy. There could be other people left, they just didn't come here or they didn't get here yet," she replied. "Eh… that's the way I am. Kinda pessimistic," I said.

"Well, what have you been up to this summer?" she asked. "Eh, you know me… not much, slacking off, training with my new blades." I motioned toward the four swords I carried, as I had just gotten the Zangetsu and the Buster Sword over the summer. I had had the other two since my birthday in March. "What about you? What have you been doin'?" I asked her. "Well, I've been getting ready for college, drawing, ya know, the stuff I usually do. But with the Heartless here..."

"Yeah, kinda weird, isn't it? We got no family left, but somehow we're still alive. We're a little scuffed up, but we're fine." I said.

"Scuffed up? You mean you didn't beat all those puny little Heartless without a scratch?" "Well, the Heartless were easy, but..."

"But what?" she replied.

"… it's nothing." I shrugged it off. I quickly raised my left hand to cover the cut on my shoulder.

"So, you got your weapon?" I asked her. "Yep. Here it is; my sakaboto." I peered down to the blade fastened to her khaki shorts.

"Good… we'll need all the force we can use."

"For what?"

"Well, just to survive, I guess." I said with a smile.

"Help!" I heard two seconds later. "That voice is familiar… well, we can't stand around, now can we?" I said to Amy. "Not a chance!" she exclaimed as we both walked off to find the source of the cry for assistance, or hands on our sword hilts.

We quickly traced the source of the calls for help to the main door. Lo and behold, it was one of the most sensual couples of the school; Serenity Sheno and Jason Rashar! But Jason was passed out, and Serenity was carrying him on her shoulder.

"Serenity! What's wrong… well, besides the Heartless swarming around like locusts?" Amy asked her.

"Well, after the Heartless took my family… I went looking for Jason, and the Heartless nearly got him. But I went in and got him from their clutches. They ignored me for some reason!" she said. Still, I noted a tone of despair in her voice.

"Then what's the problem?" I inquired.

"There's this man in a brown coat that's been chasing us… somehow we managed to get here, but Jason's passed out, and the man hit him with some sort of glowing weapon!" she practically yelled.

"Brown coat, huh? Well, we'll just have to check it out, right Amy?" I said.

"Well, I guess so. No harm in just looking," she replied.

We had no need to go anywhere. Moments later, as I put down my backpack, the man she had talked about came moseying up to the door. We had retreated into the cafeteria again to put our things somewhere when the coated man came into our sanctuary. He had light brown hair and hazel eyes.

"Is this where I can find the Keyblade master?" he asked simply as he shuffled into the large room.

"Keyblade master? We're not even sure there is a Keyblade master here! "Amy replied to the mysterious character's question.

"No doubt about it… there's a Keyblade master in this room. Is it that boy?" he asked, pointing at me.

"No, I'm not a Keyblade master! You're the second person to ask me that today!" I yelled back at the mysterious man.

"Well, neither of you are the Keyblade master… and I can tell that girl over there isn't the chosen one…" he said, pointing to Serenity, "so it must be that other boy, over there," he said, pointing toward Jason.

"He is? What of it?" I replied.

"The Keyblade master is a threat to our plans. He must be eliminated."

"You're gonna kill him?" Serenity asked the man.

"Of course. I can't let a threat go unattended." He said. With that, I felt the ground begin to rumble beneath my feet. I saw the planks of the floor in the nearby gymnasium begin to rise. The planks then came flying at us through the glass windows separating the gym and the cafeteria.

We all screamed as the wood nearly killed us. After that, Amy and I knew what we had to do.

"So, you're under orders, eh? Well, then…" I said, drawing my Zangetsu.

"… we'll just have to beat the truth out of you!" Amy completed my statement, drawing her sakaboto.

After that, we clanged our swords together, and then charged at this mysterious figure who threatened our lives… our lives, and the lives of our few remaining friends…

**Chapter Three: The Battle Against Nature**

After we clashed out blades together, the man continued to throw wooden planks at us through the gym windows. Amy and I slashed at them, cutting the pieces of wood in half as they flew at us. We had nearly reached the man from across the cafeteria when I heard a scream. It must have been Serenity, but Amy looked away… and got hit by a plank, sending her flying across the gym and hitting the wall near Serenity.

I attacked the man as soon as I was in range, but he quickly ran into the gym. I noticed there was this symbol on the back of his coat?  
"Serenity! I need you to stay here! Don't move!" I yelled to her.

"A…alright," she managed to squeak out.

"Amy!" I said, as she had recovered and managed to make it to my present location, unhindered by flying wood planks.

"What? Don't worry about me, I'm fine," she replied.

"It's not that… you see, if we're going to actually defeat someone in mortal combat, we can't let ourselves be distracted! Even if you hear a scream, or see me get hit, don't lose your focus!" I said quickly.

"But Roy…" was all she could say back.

"I know it seems cold, but if we don't focus solely on the battle, even worse things could happen. That man is preoccupied with us; Serenity and Jason will be safe as long as we can win!" I replied.

"Alright, I understand," she replied.

We looked back to see what our adversary had waiting for us. He was now on a floating platform of wooden planks, with several more platforms floating around him. It would be tough… I think we realized what we would have to do.

"You with me in this?" I asked Amy.

"Of course!" she replied.

"To the death?"

"To the death!"

With that, we charged once again at the man through the broken glass doors. As soon as we set foot in the gym, flying platforms of wood came flying at us, with every intention of killing us. I was able to jump over it with relative ease, but through the corner of my eye I noticed Amy hadn't had as easy a time. After that, we did our best to hop across the platforms, though each did its best to either ram into us or just get out of our way so we would fall 20 feet to the now-bare concrete floor below.

Eventually, after much trial, we were able to get to plank platforms just below the mysterious man. He seemed totally focused on maintaining the wood's levitation, and didn't notice us until Amy shouted out at him.

"Who the hell are you?" she yelled.

The man, now aware that we had managed to make it within 10 feet of him, looked up, but the wood continued to fly.

"I said, WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" Amy shouted again.

"I won't waste my breath on dead people!" the man replied.

Oddly, I sensed something coming from the back yard of the school. With terror, I saw what it was; the trees from the yard floated in through the doors leading to the weight room, and were sharp as spears. "Damn, how much wood can this guy control? How does he do it?" I muttered to myself, though aware of the even more deadly trial ahead of us.

The massive spears came flying at us faster than I had anticipated. I jumped on one of them, but Amy hopped to another platform nearer the man. After that, I ran across the log toward the man as fast as I could, but because it was moving in the opposite direction I was running, I ended up on the same platform I was on before. Fortunately, the man had had his attention on me, so he didn't notice that Amy had gotten onto a platform behind him. "On three!" I yelled.

"What are you yelling about now?" the man said, still totally unaware of Amy's new position.

I sheathed my Zangetsu, then rested my hands on my Masamune and got into the batto-jutsu stance.

"THREE!" I shouted, and we simultaneously leaped at the man. I did a midair batto-jutsu, but I hadn't counted on one factor: the platform was moving in the opposite direction I needed to go, and I barely managed to make a shallow cut in the man's upper torso.  
Amy had no more luck; though she was closer, since she was using a sakaboto, all that happened was the man spit up a little blood, and lost his balance. We both managed to avoid falling to the concrete floor below by grabbing onto the man's platform with our spare hands. The mysterious man staggered for a couple seconds, but soon recovered.

"Alright, no more games. I'll show you fools not to mess with the Order of Light!" he shouted. As he did so, the wooden planks and logs began to fall back to the gym floor. Neither Amy nor I had much time to react, especially since we were holding onto a wooden platform with one hand.

I jumped off, then maneuvered through the pandemonium to the gym doors, where I was safe. But Amy didn't make it… I heard her screams as hundreds of wooden planks fell on her, almost crushing her.

"You bastard! She…I… I won't let you get away with this!" I yelled, and charged with my blade in Sephiroth's style. He had landed safely amidst all the chaos, but hadn't been expecting my reaction, or me to react so soon. I hit him and knocked him through the outside door.

After that… I felt a great darkness welling up inside of me… my rage and my sorrow had awakened a darkness… MY darkness…

**Chapter Four: Manifestation of Rage**

I slowly shuffled forward toward the doors, arms at my side, dragging my sword behind me. I felt that wound on my right shoulder aching… it felt like something was seeping out of that cut.

Darkness, maybe? The darkness sealed deep inside my heart and soul?

I continued to shuffle forwards, head down, looking at the devastation. I passed Amy, who was clearly knocked out. As I did so… I felt even more rage in my heart, and it seemed more darkness was flowing out of that wound. "No more…" I said to myself, slowly treading outside. I looked up to see the brown-coated man slouched against a tree, looking down. I held up my sword in Sephiroth's pose (again), and noticed something weird.

My skin had turned jet black up to my wrist… and maybe further, under my shirt. As I noticed this, I felt my strength increase exponentially, and I felt all my emotions leaving me… all of them except anger and hatred, hatred toward this man who had tried to kill me and my friends…

I decided… I was going to kill that man, here and now.

I rushed at him, still in Sephiroth's pose, and nearly decapitated him in one fell stroke. He looked up just in time to turn his head so that he wouldn't have his throat slit, and proceeded to quickly remove that tree he was leaning on and get it into the air.

I came at him again, but he used more trees to hinder my assault. Even though my blade was now cutting through those trees like warm butter, he had used too many for me to get to him, and I quickly noticed he was floating on that log a few seconds later.  
"So, you're the one Jin judged and left to die? Figures… I get left cleaning up his messes." the man said.

"I don't care what you're talking about! I'm gonna kill you!" I yelled back at the man. My voice even sounded different… distorted, somehow.

"Darkness, spreading across your body… those eyes… you're different now." he said.

"I don't care! I WILL kill you!" I shouted.

"Kill me? I doubt it… well, I have some unfinished business with that Keyblade master in there. So, if you'll excuse me, it's been fun, but now I'll have to end our little game!" he hollered at me.

A split second later, the tree he was riding came flying down at me. I cleverly tried to jump over and land on it, but it seems he had anticipated this. The tree stopped descending at the height of my jump, doing its best to ram into me. I reacted as fast as I could and stuck my blade into the tree, seeing a purple aura around my sword. The tree stopped with ease.

"What! How deep does darkness run in this boy's heart!"

I continued rushing at the man, as he was standing on the log's center and I was on the outer edge. He continued to raise walls of wood in my path, but I cut them down faster than he could raise them. Eventually I reached him, and cut him deep in his torso, knocking him off of the log and causing it to fall. I jumped down after him, using the tree to gain some momentum, and during the fall cut off his arms.  
I landed smoothly on my feet, but the malevolent stranger wasn't so lucky. He fell flat on his stomach, causing the gash in his chest to burst open and making him bleed even more. I practically flew up to him and had my sword at his throat before he could react.  
"Tell me, who are you working for? What are you trying to do? Answer me!" I shouted at him. I noted a hateful tone in my voice, one I don't usually use.

"Heh… I won't bother telling you. You're going to kill me anyways." he replied.

"Maybe I am, but if you don't tell me now, I'll torture you instead of letting you immediately feel the cold embrace of death."  
"Torture, huh? No thanks… okay, I'll tell you if you put me out of my misery right after I'm done." he said.

"All right, but no funny business." I stated. As I did so, I felt all that strength leaving my body. "The Order of Light… we're trying to purify the worlds. The Keyblade master stands in our way… sealing the keyhole will no longer allow us to sense darkness."

"The Order of Light? What's that?" I questioned him, no longer feeling that deep hatred.

"We're beings of light… trying to purify the worlds. Simple, really. No darkness will be allowed to exist." he answered.

"No darkness… that's good, from a certain point of view. But not mine." I said.

"Regardless, the Heartless and the Order of Light will continue to hunt your group… especially you, Dark Boy."

"Well, then I'll just kill them. If I have no other choice, I'll kill whoever tries to harm my friends." I said.

"Really? What will you do if your darkness awakens in front of those you seek to protect? That foul darkness that runs so deep in your heart… what will you do then? What will they think and say?" he questioned me.

"… I won't waste my breath on a dead man." I said coldly.

After that, I slit his throat, ending his words of torment and his potential harm.  
But something he said made me doubt that strength I had needed to put an end to his threat: "What will you do if your darkness awakens in front of those you seek to protect"  
It troubled me as I walked back into the school, and with doubt in my heart, I entered the gym…

**Chapter 5: Equipment and Destination**

After reentering the gym, I sheathed my sword, and then proceeded to unbury Amy from the wooden planks. I carried her on my shoulder, barely managing to get back into the cafeteria. Seems that little Dark Form (as I call it) outburst really took my energy.  
When I got into the cafeteria, Jason was conscious, and took her off of my shoulder while Serenity helped me to lean on a wall.  
"Are you okay? What happened to Amy?" she asked me.

"I'm… fine. Just a little tired, that's all." My breathing was still pretty heavy, and I was covered a cold sweat. "Amy got slammed by a bunch of wooden planks, but I think she'll be okay."

"Really, man? Okay, if you say so." Jason said.

"I'm feeling… kind of tired…" I said. About two minutes later, I fainted.

_…you will find the truth…_

The next thing I knew, I was lying on the cafeteria floor with all three of my friends peering down at me. I heard their voices before I actually opened my eyes.

"Is he alright? What happened to him?"

"He's okay. Still breathing, anyway."

"Look! He's waking up!"

As I heard this, I sat up and nearly head butted Serenity in the process. "Unh… how long was I out?" I asked them.

"About a day. You okay?" Amy asked.

"I'm alright… a little hungry, but nothing too bad. I feel a little sore, though." I replied.

"Well, we've managed to survive by eating the food in the cafeteria. There isn't much, though. It's summer." Serenity said.

"I have some emergency provisions in my backpack," I stated, stretching out and getting up. I walked over to my backpack and got out some pop-tarts, and began eating them as I walked back to my comrades. They were talking about what we should do next.

"Well, there's nothing left for us here. We should go somewhere else and see if we can find the keyhole." I heard Jason say.

"That's right…" I muttered as I approached them, food still in my mouth. I finished what was in my mouth before speaking again.

"You're a Keyblade master, aren't you, Jason?" I asked him.

"Yep, watch this!" he exclaimed as he took a step back. He summoned a unique Keyblade with a flash of light.

I must admit, I was a little jealous.

"Wow! A Keyblade! Let's go see if we can open the teachers' lounge!" Serenity requested.

"Nice thought, but we need to think of what to do now. Not only are the Heartless swarming around, but we've got a trench-coated man chasing us." Amy replied.

"No, there's no man chasing us. He…" I left off, not wanting to tell my friends how I had brutally murdered a helpless man, or about how some zealots wouldn't stop chasing me. "He left." I finished.

"Well, we've got to do something. Well, let's try getting to Washington, D.C. It's a long way from here, but I can't think of anywhere else the keyhole would be, or anywhere else that would be safer." Amy said.

"Washington D.C.? But that's on the other side of the country!" Jason whined.

"Tough luck. I agree with Amy. All in favor say 'Aye!'" I declared.

Amy, Serenity and I raised our hands and said aye.

"Well, that settles it! We're going to Washington!" I shouted.

"But Roy, we're already in Washington." Serenity pointed out.

"Oh…. yeah, well, ya know… Washington… ya catch my drift, right?" I said.

"But that's so far away, we'll never get there!" Jason continued to whine.

"Tough luck, buddy. You're the Keyblade master, so if we find the Keyhole on the way, it's your duty to seal it!" I said truthfully. "You're along for the ride!"

"Well, what are we going to wear? It'll be a long, tough journey, and my clothes are torn!" Serenity complained. Indeed, there was a small tear in her jean shorts, but it was nothing compared to the cut in my T-shirt. At that thought, I raised my hand again to cover the black mark on my shoulder.

"Well… to be honest, for some reason, I've felt like drawing something life-sized ever since the Heartless came here. I think I can make it real. I just didn't have the time." Amy said.

"Okay, let's go get some roll paper from the art room." We all proceeded to the art room, where we took part of the massive roll of paper and laid it out.

"I'll need someone to model the drawing after… how about you, Roy?" she asked of me.

"Alright, alright. Hold your horses." I replied as I laid down on the paper.

"Now… tell me, Roy, what have you always wanted to wear?" she asked me as she traced my shape.

"Well… I guess a trench coat. Like Dante's, from Devil May Cry 3. And some fingerless leather gloves. And some boots." I said. Yeah, I'm a geek. Those really are the kind of clothes I've always wanted to wear.

After Amy finished drawing my outline, I got up, and she proceeded to draw what I had asked on my outline. After that, she touched it with her palm, and some white lightning came up.

"Whoa! What's happening, man?" Jason said.

After a few seconds, the lightning was gone, and the clothes she had drawn were really there! Actual size!

"Well, Roy… want to try 'em on?" Amy asked me.

"Uh… sure!" I replied, not wanting to turn down such a generous offer.

The clothes fit perfectly. She had drawn the coat a little bigger than needed, so it fit loosely on my shoulders. Good, I thought, now I won't have to worry about that scar… or bruise… or whatever it is. The gloves also fit perfectly, as did the boots. I kinda had a problem with the boots, though… I don't know how to tie my shoes, so I just winged it by knotting them.

Everyone else had custom clothes drawn by Amy, as well. When it was her turn, I traced her outline (me being the second best artist), and she drew her own clothes.

Jason had an orange version of Link's tunic drawn for him. It came fully equipped with the white pants and leather gauntlets.  
Serenity had a simple black dress drawn for her.

Amy drew herself a red kimono… I vaguely recall seeing something like that on InuYasha, but since I hate that show, I'm not sure.  
I didn't question this new ability she had… probably because of how I felt, like I was stronger and faster than before, or maybe it's because of that wound, but I didn't doubt her ability.

Now, there was just the simple matter of how we were going to get to Washington D.C…

_So much death…  
_

**Interlude: Of Metal and Water **

"Jin, why did you do that? That boy slew Oren, and it's all your fault!" a woman screamed.

"Shut up, Lyn. It's not like you wouldn't have assumed he was going to die. Seriously, no one has ever survived judgment and not gone into an Awakening." Jin said back.

"So what? There was always a chance someone could have survived, and now that you were so careless as to leave that boy alive, Oren is dead. Dead, Jin!" Lyn screamed again.

"Shut up about stupid Oren already, Lyn! He was a weakling and deserved to die! Anyone who has a hard time with two normal humans…" Jin argued, but was interrupted by the Master.

"It does not matter who is at fault. I want the Dark Boy and the Keyblade master erased. Do you have objections?" he asked, though it was a rhetorical question.

"No, master." the duo replied.

"Well, good. A small group of humans should be no problem for you, Lyn, especially if Jin is with you. Do not return to Amaterasu until you have done this. Though they are weak at the moment, if allowed to live, the humans could become an even greater threat." "But, Master Charon…" Lyn started.

"Do you object? Ibelieve you value your life." Master Charon replied in a sinister tone.

"No, but about the Dark Boy… he's no longer a normal human, is he?" Lyn asked him.

"True, the Dark Boy is no longer normal. Even when all seems in your favor, do not let your guard down. Enraging that boy will be your downfall. Though Oren was a respectable warrior, his downfall was underestimating the boy. Do not make the same mistake." Master Charon warned.

"So, it would be in our best interests to slay the Dark Boy first, then the Keyblade Master?" Jin asked.

"As I see it, the best course of action for you two to take is to have Jin engage the Keyblade master in battle, and Lyn will take care of the Dark Boy. Attacking either of them together will only draw their friends into the battle. Keep the two separate. Do not harm their female companions. They are pure enough." was Charon's final reply.

"Remember, you may not return to Amaterasu until you have done this, or I will kill you myself."

_…my greatest mistake, as well as my salvation.  
_

**Chapter Six: War of Shadow**

It's been… about a month, I guess, since we set out for Washington, D.C. After we all got some awesome free clothes, we went out to the parking lot to find a motor vehicle to get us somewhere. Of course, it's summer, so there were few cars in the lot. Eventually we decided that a metallic blue pick-up truck would be best, with Amy driving, Serenity and/or Jason sitting in the cab, and I always sit in the bed.

We get our food by looting convenience stores or grocery stores in towns we stop at along the way. There's nobody around, except some Heartless, but they don't stand a chance against us. Everyone else takes showers in rest stops along the way, but me? Nah.

I'm really worried about those Order of Light guys… they said they wouldn't stop hunting us, me in particular. I'm also a little worried about that cut on my arm… no one notices it because of my coat, but it hurts a little from time to time. I don't let my friends see my pain, but I'm afraid… of myself.

Of the darkness within me.

We haven't managed to get very far in a month. We're all slackers, and since none of us have a sense of direction or a map, we have to go about the Interstate on instinct, and we've only gotten to South Dakota! Well, part of the problem is probably that only Amy can drive, and only drives for three or four hours a day. We stay in hotels along the way, but I just sleep in the bed of the truck (with a pillow, of course.

I train Jason in our spare time, so he can learn to defend himself with that Keyblade. He's gotten good, for only a month, and we've tried training in the moving truck, but even more me, it's tough.

We eventually made it to Sioux, yet another eerie ghost town. I knew this was a big town, which meant big trouble from the Heartless.  
As the truck drove up to the city, I saw the darkness Shadows make when they enter the ground all over the place. I got up and knocked on the truck window.

"Hey, you guys, we need to stop. Got a few Heartless we'll have to exterminate before we go farther." I told them.

Jason and Serenity were busy making out (did I mention they were an item?), but Amy heard me and stopped quickly.

"A few? Roy, the entire ground is covered in darkness. You can't call that 'a few.'" she snapped back.

"Sorry… sorry… well, JASON, we better get ready." I said loudly. He quickly stopped and looked at me.

"What?"  
"There's several thousand Heartless we have to get rid of, and you're too busy making out to notice it?" I snapped at him.

"Shut up, man. Get off my case…" he muttered as he got out of the truck after Amy, who had already done so. I hopped out of the truck bed and leaned against the hood of the truck, looking out at the vast expanse of darkness ahead of us.

"This'll be fun…" I muttered under my breath, and then drew my Zangetsu. Amy unsheathed her sakaboto, and Jason summoned his Keyblade. Then we slowly walked toward the dark abyss.

Within seconds of us reaching ten feet away of the abyss, thousands upon thousands of humanoid Shadows slipped out of the ground, ready to greet us with their awesome number but puny strength.

"Well, let's get to it!" Jason yelled. With his proclamation, we all charged face-first into an army, far more vast than the one Sora faced. Being stronger and faster than Amy, it wasn't too tough for me… at first. Jason also had an easy time, but not as easy as I did. He was fast and fierce, but I noticed he lacked the stopping power I possessed.

The Heartless came at us, and came, and came again! Guess what happened next? Yep, they kept coming. And we kept slaying them. Cutting a swath into the mass of darkness, I pulled out my Buster Sword and charged face-first into the void. Amy and Jason did what they could to keep up, but soon we were all trapped in a circle by thousands upon thousands of Heartless.  
"Any ideas?" I asked my partners-in-arms.

"No, you're the one who wanted to fight all of them! You come up with an idea for getting us out of this mess!" Jason snarled back at me.

"Eh… sorry." I muttered.

"This is no time for apologies! We need a way to get out of here now!" Amy said, striking a few Heartless at the same time.  
"Well, I've got an idea, but it's a crazy one!" I yelled, doing a batto-jutsu at the same time.

"Any ideas are fine by me!" Jason yelled, slaying a few Heartless.

"Magic! We use light magic! It's our only hope!" I shouted.

"That's crazy talk! We all know magic isn't real!" Amy shouted.

By now, our backs were all against each other, and we stood in a triangle position, our backs all against each other.

"Hey, Amy, if you can just make clothes appear from a drawing and not question it, then maybe we_ can_ use magic!" I said.

"Well, we've got no better ideas, so go ahead, Mr. Genius!" Jason shouted.

"Here goes nothing!" I said.

"_Purest light, grant me thy strength in this desperate hour and banish these unholy wretches to the netherworld! Divine Light!_"

But nothing happened.

"Oh, yeah, magic! Divine Light, my ass!" Amy yelled back at me.

But as she did so, we saw a golden light appear above us, and beams of that light began raining down upon the Heartless, destroying each in one blast.

"So that's magic…" I muttered. The light had stricken thousands of Heartless, leaving us in an empty intersection, but more darkness loomed on the horizon.

**_CRASH!_**

Far down the road, I saw the buildings start to fall, either collapsing or falling into the road. The wave was coming at me with frightening speed.

"Um… guys? There's a tidal wave coming at us…" I heard Jason say.

I looked in his direction, and indeed, a massive tidal wave, probably about 30 feet high, was rushing at us with a tsunami's speed.

"Well, time to get out of here! We gotta move fast!" I yelled, sheathing my Masamune and pulling out my Buster Sword at the same time.  
We all ran as fast as we could, blazing across the road as fast as our feet could carry us in a desperate bid for our lives. Eventually we got to the Heartless, but I just charged through them, Buster Sword in front, and eventually, after having water rushing at us and buildings crashing around us, all three of us got back to the truck on the outskirts of town.

"You guys okay? You've been gone for a couple hours," Serenity said as we hobbled up to the truck. It was nice to hear someone's voice not shouting at me.

"We're fine, baby. Turns out we can use magic!" Jason exclaimed, somehow, through his heavy breathing. "Well, Amy can, anyway.."

"I saw buildings falling! Are you sure you're all right?" she asked us again.

"Yes, we're fine! Thanks to stupid Roy here, we almost got killed, but we're fine." Amy said, sounding a bit exasperated.

"Well, you can't expect me to know how everything is going to turn out! Eheh…" I sort of laughed.  
"Who's that?"

We turned around, and saw two figures walking towards us from the wreckage; one in a blue coat, and one I could never forget…

_I want to be forgiven._

**Chapter Seven: A Rusted Blade**

It was the same grey coated man who had stricken me with the wound that had not yet healed… by now, I doubted it would ever heal. With him walked a voluptuous woman clad in a blue trench coat. They strode up to us, not quickly, but not slowly either.

This time, the grey-coated man was kind enough to introduce himself.

"We meet again, Roy Hartmut… or should I call you 'Dark Boy?"

I could do nothing but stand back and scowl at the man. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Jin, metal master of the Order of Light." He answered.

Finally, a name: Jin.

"And I am Lyn, water master of the Order of Light."

More asses to kick. A big one, but still an ass to kick.

She was a tall and intimidating, but beautiful woman, probably about 5'6" tall, with long blonde hair down to about her mid-back and deep blue eyes, not unlike my own.

"We have some business with these two gentlemen, ladies. If you would be so kind as to wait in your truck, we would greatly appreciate it." Lyn told Amy and Serenity.

I expected them to object to sitting on the sidelines, but I heard no cries of refusal for a few seconds, so I turned around, and Amy and Serenity were willfully getting into our stolen truck!

"Serenity, what the hell are you doing?" Jason shouted to his girlfriend.

But the two said nothing as they climbed into the truck.

"What are you doing to them?" I yelled at the duo that was controlling our friends.

"Oh, nothing… just manipulating the water in their bodies so they do what I want. We can't have those two getting in your way, now can we?" she replied.

I turned around again, and the truck was now levitating Now we had no chance of helping the girls in their present state; though they now had control of themselves, the truck was about 50 feet in the air above a paved road.

Plus the doors were locked.

"Come, then, Dark Boy. Show me your rage!" Lyn screamed at me, and came flying at me with a wall of water behind her.

I saw from the corner of my eye as Jason flew backwards from an attack from Jin, even though he managed to parry it, the force in Jin's blow sent him flying. Jason was the least of my worries, though, as Lyn had nearly reached me.

I quickly pulled out my Masamune to block her advance, but she moved around me faster than I could put up my blade.

"Is that the best you can do? I would expect better from someone who killed Oren…" she taunted.

I didn't know how to react, and soon I was sent flying in to one of the buildings on the outskirts of town. I screamed in pain as I was slammed into the concrete with a lot of force. I fell about five feet, spat up a little blood, and staggered up to my feet, then looked up and saw Lyn floating on a wave over the wreckage of Sioux City.

I climbed up the 20' building my using the windows as ledges. I stood atop the building, sword drawn, and looked up as I saw Lyn standing on one of the remaining upright buildings.

"Show me what you got, Dark Boy!" she yelled at me again, a huge wave crashing onto the building and sending thousands of bullet-like drops of water at me.

I used the area she was under, where the water couldn't get me, as a safe zone. I got hit with a few of the drops of water, and it felt like a bullet shot me. I got hit in the left arm, and it hurt a little bit, but it's nothing compared to being mashed onto a building.

Now that I saw what she could do, I was ready for whatever this woman could throw at me. I ran at her, dodging all the water bullets as well as I could (practically running through the school halls really helped), and in a few minutes I was on the toppled building below her, though it was still a fair distance from the building she was standing on.

"Is that all you can do? Throw water at me? How disappointing!" I yelled arrogantly. This seemed to seriously annoy Lyn, as in seconds she was standing on the same building I was on.

"So, it seems your abilities aren't to be doubted. So, let's fight for real now! It's been a long time since I had an actual challenge!" Lyn told me.

"Well, let's dance!" I shouted at her.

She snuck an attack at me; as I yelled, several axe blades made of water rose out of the near-lake wreckage of Sioux City. I bent over, Matrix-style, to avoid the dozen or so blades of water, but my cheek still got clipped.

My move. I straightened out fast, and ran up to her, Sephiroth-style (I love charging like that), and took a slash when I was three feet away from her. The blow connected, but just got wedged into her, about ¼ of an inch into her skin. I was at a loss for words as I tried to pull my blade out of her, but it seemed to be stuck!

"Beating me won't be as easy as swinging around a blade, Dark Boy! Simple metal weapons can't beat me. They only make me stronger!" she proclaimed, holding her hand to my face. I could only watch in shock as a blue aura gathered around her hand, then blasted my chest with a water wave. I was sent flying (almost literally) into the crystal blue waters that were the wreckage of Sioux City.  
_Am I gonna die here?_ I thought. _But… I've still got to protect my friends… I've still got to see the Keyhole sealed! I can't die here! There's too much at stake. I can't die here! I **REFUSE **to die!_

After I resolved myself to refuse death, I felt a distant, but vaguely familiar power flowing back into my veins…

_Two forlorn heroes…  
_

**Chapter Eight: The Powers of Darkness **

I let myself fall to the depths of the ocean-like wreckage, then jumped up through the 15 foot deep waters onto a building. I felt that familiar strength flowing back into me, and now I understood what it was.

The darkness in my heart. A darkness I could never escape.

From my position, Lyn was about 50 feet away. She seemed to think I was dead, and was walking away. I rushed at her as fast as I could, so fast, I wasn't really running, but more like hovering above the water, causing it to part in my wake. I made a side-slash at her, purple aura flowing around my blade, but she turned around just in time to stop my attack with a small shield of water. As the two connected, a shockwave of force spread across the waters.

"I see it in your eyes… you're no longer the soft spoken boy of just moments ago, are you, Dark Boy?" Lyn sneered at me. "So, this is the power that defeated Oren..."

"Enough! It ends here!" I yelled back, again hearing that distorted sound in my voice. Then I dropped onto the building, and made a sweep at her feet, but that was blocked by greaves of water she quickly made to halt my assault. Lyn then used a spear of water to hit me in the back, and the weapon went through me. It didn't hurt too much, though…

After her attack, I was bent at the waist, and so I stood up and struck her with a side slash. This attack actually did something; it sent her flying into a building about 20 feet away, and then falling into the clear waters.

I walked over to the edge of the building, looking at my reflection. About half of my face was now jet black, as well as my right arm. My eyes had also changed; instead of their normal steel blue, they were now blood red. _This must be the price I have to pay_, I thought, _if I want to protect those close to me!_

With that thought, I turned my attention to Lyn, who was rising through a pillar of water up to the top. It was a little taller than the building she had stood on a few minutes ago; it about 30 feet high, I guess.

"So, you want a real fight, Dark Boy! Come! I'll show you what I can really do!" Lyn yelled at me. I continued to rush at her, trench coat waving behind me, up the water pillar. I was soon on the top, squaring down the femme fatale. Words are useless! I thought to myself, blazing at her, water parting around me and coat flapping behind me. I sheathed my Masamune and pulled out my Souba as I did so, ready for some serious action. I also heard a nearby clanking of metal; it must have been Jin and Jason.

In my rage, I hadn't noticed it, but the water that once covered the streets was now suspended above us. It quickly came crashing down around us, and I had almost no time to react. I quickly tore open a hole in the pillar. Lyn hadn't noticed me doing so; it seems she had her eyes closed and arms outstretched, making her appear like a cross.

I jumped into the now gelatinous pillar and closed it again with my own hands, bringing on a huge water pressure around me. I saw the cascade of water fall back onto the streets through the pillar, shattering buildings, and after it was over, I jumped out of the cylinder, bringing Lyn into the air with me. I made several slashes, as she wasn't able to react out of surprise; she didn't know where I had gone.  
I hit her about 10 times in the air, which is 20 slashes with my double-bladed Souba. The pillar of water hadn't disintegrated, so we landed on it. Lyn was bleeding badly. Even I was breathing heavily, as that wound from earlier was just starting to sink in.

"Where's your sense… of chivalry?" Lyn asked me somehow, between her spitting up of blood and heavy breathing. "Don't you know how to treat… a lady?"

"So… you only have a sense of humor when you're about to die? How sad…" I told her with a sinister tone in my already distorted voice.

I charged at her, Souba straight ahead, aimed right at her heart.

The blow connected…

_A darkness only you know.  
_

**Chapter Nine: Sin and Sorrow **

I felt the warm blood spatter across my face. My eyes widened in horror. My heart beat faster as the adrenaline pumped into my veins.  
I had not stabbed Lyn, Water Master of the Order of Light. My charge was the bane of Jason Rashar, chosen Keyblade Master of Earth. I could only stand in shock, my blade just millimeters away from Lyn's own heart.

"Roy… what…" was all he could say before he went limp. I couldn't move, my body still paralyzed with shock, my eyes still wide as my fists.

"Dead, you say? I don't think so… Dark Boy. I'll live to fight… another day. Too… bad for you." Lyn sneered at me, taking off kneeled down on a platform of water. She was holding her side, which was bleeding profusely, as she "flew" off into the horizon.

Even though I was still in shock, I had to get over my grief for the time being; the pillar of water I was on began to fall. I pulled my blade out of Jason and grabbed his body just in time to jump on a piece of rubble, but my landing was shaky because of my sorrow. "What… what have I done?" was all I could say before I felt myself becoming light-headed. I dropped on my hands and knees, tears welling up in my eyes, and passed out.

_…about yourself…_

I woke up without sunlight or moonlight to greet me. I was still on that piece of wreckage, Jason's body beside me. I lay there with my eyes closed for a few minutes, not wanting to know the reality of what had happened, not wanting to know if this was a dream or not. I could not escape the reality of what had happened, though. I felt tears begin to well up in my eyes, then stream across my face as I laid there, eyes closed, mind horrified.

I had destroyed the world's salvation, and one of my only friends.

I opened my eyes and stood up, not wanting to face Jason's corpse; the ultimate result of my anger and hatred. I instead turned to the sky, where dark clouds loomed ominously.

"I'm sorry, my friend…" I said through sobs. "I'm sorry…" was all I could think of to say. I finally turned around, barely able to face the body of our savior and friend. I couldn't say anything else… I saw where my blade had connected, and he was lying in a pool of blood. I picked his remains up and stood on the edge of our jagged piece of rubble.

"Rest in peace, my friend… I'll do what I can in your stead." I told him, again through sobs. Then I let him go, and watched as his body fell into the crystal waters.

Still crying a little, I went back across my life boat and stood in front of my blood-stained Souba. I hated how I had to kill people to survive… I wish it didn't have to end in violence. That violence had claimed the life of my friend… no, it wasn't the violence.  
It was me. The strength I had drawn from my darkness.

But I needed that strength to protect those dear to me…

I grudgingly picked up my Souba and washed the blood off of it in the water, then sheathed it. Afterwards I proceeded across the pieces of rubble towards where I thought was the outskirts. It had started to rain, and the sound of falling rain calmed me a little. Eventually I reached the outskirts, but the truck was nowhere to be found.

Maybe they've already gone ahead, I thought. No, Serenity cares too much about Jason to leave. I walked around the outskirts of Sioux City, but I found no roads (or blue trucks, for that matter), and took shelter in a nearby crumbled building for the night. The next morning I got up and continued wandering around to find our vehicle. I did so probably at midday, but I couldn't tell because it was still raining.  
I had my head hung as I shuffled up to the slightly damaged, but still working truck. I heard my boots squishing in the mud and two other sets of squishy footsteps as the two women came running up to me.

"Roy! What happened to you? Where's Jason? Are you hurt?" Amy asked me.

"I'm fine." I simply replied, head still hanging.

"But… where's Jason?" Serenity asked me.

"He… got killed." I said, walking off toward the truck, unable to summon the strength to face them. I heard Serenity in particular crying as I took up my usual position in the bed of the truck, head still hanging, and rain still falling.

There's more than one kind of strength.

Even though my eyes were closed, I heard them walking up to the truck because of the squishy mud. I knew they were going to ask me about it, even though I didn't want to talk about it.

"Roy… what happened?" Amy asked me again.

"That woman… Lyn, I had nearly beaten her when…" I had almost told them the truth about what happened. I couldn't face them with the truth… not yet.

"She used the water in his body as a shield and stopped me, then ran off." I lied.

"She… she…" Serenity cried, running into the bed of the truck, mud squishing loudly.

"Well… what do we do now? Our only hope was the Keyblade, but now that Jason's gone… was our journey for naught?" Amy asked me.

"… maybe not. I can't explain it, but…" I started.

"But what? We can't seal the Keyhole now, and Jason is…"

"I don't know what else to do but keep going."

"How can you say that? Jason is gone… no, dead! We can no longer seal the Keyhole, Roy! Face it, the world is doomed!"

"I feel like I'm being drawn to D.C. Maybe there is still something there." I said, looking up at last.

"What? You're being crazy! Don't you care if Jason is dead? Don't you care that we don't have a future any more?" she asked me, walking into the cab of the truck.

I hung my head again, silent the whole time.

I'm not sure what to do… but I can't deny this feeling…

_A Keyblade? How?  
_

**Interlude: Of Fire and Water**

"Augh! What is that boy?" Lyn gasped, clutching her side as she staggered up to Charon's throne. "How can he expect anyone to kill him when he can do that?" she gasped.

"Having some trouble?" Charon's haunting voice echoed in his throne room as he approached. "I told you not to come back until you had slain the Keyblade Master and the Dark Boy."

"But, Master, the Dark Boy possesses otherworldly strength! His powers nullify my ability to control him; else I would have killed him when he went berserk!" Lyn yelled at her Master.

"But you could not. That boy's dark powers are the antithesis of our own. When the darkness courses through his body, he is immunized from our control… hm…" Charon went on.

"Master, the Keyblade Master is slain. I used him as a shield against the Dark Boy's assault." Lyn told him desperately, hoping she would be spared.

"But you did not slay the Dark Boy. Though you have bought some time, the Keyhole could still be sealed. There is a way other than fate to obtain a Keyblade." Charon replied.

"A way other than fate? How could that be?" Lyn inquired.

"You'll never know… heheh…" Charon replied with a sinister tone. He snapped his fingers, and a boulder fell on her, silencing her screams before they came out.

"A darkness-wielding boy, along with his three companions, has been the undoing of two of the members of the Order of Light. They could be even more of a problem than I thought…" Charon went on, but was interrupted.

"What's wrong, Master?" the dark-skinned, orange coat wearing teen asked him.

"Nothing, Brenton, nothing at all. It's just the Dark Boy… he's giving me more trouble with Earth than most worlds." Charon replied.

"Then I'll take care of him. He should be no problem for me." Brenton said.

"Take care of him, huh? Very well, then. You shall slay the Dark Boy." Charon gave the order.

"I'll be back in a week. Don't wait for me." Brenton told him arrogantly.

"Are you sure your feelings won't get in the way?" Charon asked him, questioning Brenton's loyalties.

"… yes." said Brenton, back turned, as he walked off.

"We'll see about that…"

_So… you've come_.

Chapter Ten: Memories Past Our truck kept chugging along the interstate, though Amy and Serenity didn't really want to go. They didn't have anything better to do, and with the only protection we had being our blades, they tolerated my presence in the bed of the truck. They were mad at me for some reason… probably because they hadn't seen me cry over Jason's death. I WAS disheartened, though.  
It had been about two weeks since that disaster, and we were in St. Louis when I heard Amy honk the truck horn. _Now, this **is **unuaual…_ I thought to myself. _In this apocalyptic world, what is there to honk at?_

"Get out of the road! I'm trying to go somewhere!" I heard Amy yell out of the window. I picked my head up and stood up. There was someone in the road… he was wearing a grey T-shirt and blue jeans. We were near the bridge under the St. Louis Arch.

"Hey, man, you might want to get out of the road! You could get hurt!" I shouted at him. He looked up, but did not get out of the road. Amy managed to make the truck come to a screeching halt just inches from the enigma, and I nearly flew out of the bed of the truck, landing on the windshield.

"Ow…" I muttered, picking myself up off of the windshield. Amy and Serenity had screamed, both at our fast stop and at my… er… "rough landing." I stood up on the hood of the truck and hopped off to face the enigmatic character. He had… red hair and blue eyes.

"What the hell, man? Don't you know to get out of the way when there's a damn truck about to plow you over?" I half-yelled, furious at this enigma.

"Keyblade. Do you have it?" he asked me. I was surprised at such a calm and simple response… I couldn't sense any feeling in his voice.

"Well, no… the Keyblade master is… dead." I managed to reply, despite my difficulty in dealing with Jason's death.

"Then all is lost…" he muttered, taking a step back. "I have no use for you." he said, again with an emotionless tone. He then held his hand out and somehow summoned a yellow bow. I pulled out my Zangetsu, sure there would be trouble.

He proceeded to string the bow, and after he had done so an arrow of electricity formed instantly on the bow. He shot it not a second later, and I put up my blade to block it, but the electricity still shocked me.

By now, Serenity and Amy had gotten out of the truck; the man's attack was so sudden, and it takes a few moments to get out of a truck.

"What the hell is going on?" Amy yelled.

"How should I know? I just started talking to this guy, and now he's shooting electric arrows at me!" I yelled back. The enigma readied another arrow, aiming at Amy now. I quickly jumped in the way to protect her. I shielded her with my body, taking the volt arrow head on. By now Amy had drawn her blade, and I already had my own sword out. We charged at him, swords up, but he moved like a blur to the top of a building, sniping at Amy and I. We dodged it to the best of our abilities, but dodging lightning isn't easy.

Eventually, after about 20 minutes of going around the dance floor, I got tired of this and went into the building. I don't think Amy knew what I was doing, and the enigmatic character certainly did not notice… he kept making Amy dance. On the roof, I walked slowly and quietly until I was inches from the man. I held out my blade over his throat, and quietly said "Game over."

He didn't reply, just sat there with an electric arrow aimed and ready. He then moved with lightning speed to the small roof for the stairwell I had used, and shot his arrow at me. I barely moved to the side to dodge it. Then I continued to walk toward the outcrop, narrowly dodging electric arrows the whole way, an arrogant smirk on my face. Then, nearly at the outcropping, I heard Amy running up the stairs.

At the top, she stood and looked at me. In one of my dodges, I motioned her to go around back, and she did so easily because she was in his blind spot. Then when I was naught but a few feet away from the enigma, I yelled "NOW!" and we simultaneously leaped at the roof, our swords both at the man's throat and back of his neck, respectively.

No sooner had we just about readied to kill the man then I heard a new, but vaguely familiar voice use a cold tone in saying: "Step aside, _nihil._"

With that, a burst of flame sent the "nihil" flying. I looked to the side to see who had done this, and was shocked… It was my old friend, Brenton.

I quickly realized he was with the Order of Light, from the look in his eyes, to the orange trench coat he was wearing… based on the color, and my recent discovery that their powers were based on Chinese elements, he had power over fire. He was standing on a building a few feet away, coat flapping in the wind, with one foot on the sill of the building. He jumped over to our roof, aided by flame pillars and thermals.

"So, we meet again, Roy." he said coldly. I knew him… my old friend.

"The Order's sent another master to exterminate us? What threat could we pose now?" I asked him, skipping the small talk. "Roy, who is that?" Amy asked me.

"He's…" I started, but was interrupted.

"I don't need you to make introductions for me, Roy." Brenton started. "I am Brenton, Fire Master of the Order of Light and Roy's old friend." he finished.

"You're… our friend?" she asked him, unsure of his allegiance. I knew there was no point in talking, but…

"Friend? Since when do you have friends?" he askedme coldly. I knew what this would come to, so I put away my Zangetsu and pulled out my Souba, then pointed it at him.

"We have no time for small talk, Brenton. Get out of our way or I'll kill you right now." I said, eager toend this before my emotions clouded my judgment.

"Don't you want to catch up with old friends, Roy?" he asked me, though I was sure this was a stall. I rushed at him, eager to get this over with. But he had anticipated my move; Brenton stepped out of the way and blasted my back with fire, sending me falling to the street below. I staggered to my feet, a little battered, and looked up to the roof, but he came jumping down, slowing his descent with flames.  
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and put away my Souba.

_My hatred of you is eternal._

****


	3. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven: Hero/Guardian**

I walked forward, slowly, toward my old friend. I knew what it would all come to, but I guess he wanted to fight on a mental plane before a physical one, so I went along with it… for now.

"So, you're trying to seal the Keyhole, Roy? It's really too bad… I can't let you do that." Brenton told me.

"Yeah! If we don't seal the Keyhole, the Heartless will consume the world and it will be plunged into darkness! We… no, I won't let that happen!" I shouted. I heard Amy coming down the stairs.

"You, afraid of the darkness? Now isn't that curious? You're the one who wields darkness, yet you insist on sealing the Keyhole and cutting off your strength?" he asked me.

"Roy… what is… he talking about?" Amy asked me through her panting.

"I… I don't know." I lied, though I knew the truth would come out seconds later.

"Come now, Roy. Tell her all about how you brutally murdered a defenseless man, about how you nearly killed a woman, and most importantly, about how you murdered Jason!" he said.

"Roy… is he right? Did you really…" she started, but I hung my head, afraid to face her and the truth. Brenton used this as an opening to attack me, and came charging at me fist first.

"Roy, look out!" Amy shouted at me, just in time for me to look up and get punched in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me and sending me flying to about halfway across the bridge at the same time. I looked up, holding my gut, to see Brenton running across the bridge toward me, flames at the end of the bridge. Apparently he wanted to do this duel-style.

"That was… a cheap shot…" I said after he was within earshot.

"Shut up, Dark Boy. You're not even worth talking to." he said back, that hateful tone the entire Order of Light used in his voice. "I just bothered to talk so I could break your companion's spirit. Knowing what you've done, it's likely she won't help you anymore."

"So, that whole thing was a ruse to stop my journey? Sorry, but that ain't gonna happen! I've got to get there for my friend… Jason." I told him. I drew my Zangetsu and held it in position. "I don't even want to fight you, old friend, but if you don't get out of my way I'll have to kill you, too."

"Come on, then, Hero! Let's see what you got!" he yelled back at me. After he did so, he snapped his fingers and greaves and gauntlets of fire appeared on his hands and feet, respectively.

I ran at him, Zangetsu posed so it would pierce him, but he moved out of the way easily and hit me in the shoulder, burning me. I wheeled around to hit him, but he again dodged it, knocking me against the concrete barriers on the bridge. I looked up and narrowly dodged one of his punches, thrusting my Zangetsu at his torso and making a little cut before he backed off.

"So you really want to play? Fine!" he yelled at me, and then he covered himself entirely in flames. Pretty much dauntless by now, I put away my Zangetsu and rested my hands on my Masamune, ready and in the signature batto-jutsu stance. He came running at me, and I used my superior reach to slash him again with the batto-jutsu. He staggered back, but came running at me again.

This time, I dodged a few of his hits, and then countered with a slash to his arm. He kept coming at me, even through two slashes to his torso and a cut on his arm. I dodged a few more hits, then skidded between his legs and slashed the backs of his knees. He staggered again, but I backed off, wanting a more fair fight.

He stood up again, flames burning all around him. Maybe I shouldn't have done something so underhanded, I thought to myself. Now all the ground within two feet of Brenton was on fire. It would be tough to even get within striking range without using my Masamune.

Brenton looked at me, a hateful look in his eyes. I was ready. I ran at him, jumped over the flames, and did my best to strike him, but his flames caused me to lose my focus, and he punched me in the chest. I hit the concrete barrier again, staggered to my feet, and narrowly dodged one of his kicks, then slashed at him through my pain and the flames.

"Roy! Hold on!" I heard someone yell… it was Amy. She ran toward us through the flames, blade already drawn, ready for battle. She came at Brenton and took a slash, hopping over the flames, and scored a good hit on his face, having caught him off guard.

That was a big mistake on her part. Brenton came at her, enraged, punching and kicking her several times like a kick boxer. She went flying to near the end of the bridge and dropped to the ground, clearly passed out.

"No… I won't…" I started. But I realized something: I needed to keep my emotions under control. Even my dark powers wouldn't save me… and if I relied too heavily on darkness, it could cost me a lot more than a little pain. But I couldn't bear to watch my friends suffer…

"What's wrong? Having a change of heart?" Brenton taunted me. "Why don't you tap into the darkness and we can really get on with it?"

"… no. I don't need darkness. I'll beat you with my own strength!" I resolved. "I'll guard my friends with my life, but not the darkness!"

"You really want to die today? So be it." he said, then came blazing at me, fist outstretched in a punch.

_You... you're... not the Roy **I** knew!_


	4. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve: _Nihil_**

I easily dodged such a brash attack, jumped over his flame field, and gave Brenton a slash on his midarm. He intensified his flame field further after that; now all the ground within about five feet of him was on fire. He came at me again, this time following his punch with a kick, but I jumped over the punch and got kicked in the stomach.

I recovered soon enough to land outside of his fire field. I charged at Brenton, Sephiroth-style. I felt the flames licking my feet as I charged up to him, dodged a punch, then jumped and cut his face. I landed and slashed at his torso again before jumping back to get out of the flame field, but he followed me with a punch ready. Brenton hit me in the chest, but held on to me so he could knee me in the stomach.

I went flying after that hit. I threw up a little, and then looked up. He was coming at me again. I again dodged his punch and gave Brenton a little cut on his back, but he wheeled around soon after and kicked me against the concrete barrier. I spat up a little blood and then laid there, almost half-dead by now, eyes closed.

I guess Brenton stopped using his flame armor and field after that, because the next thing I remember is him holding me up by my shirt. I opened my eyes as best I could (my left eye would only open about half way), and took my first good look at my old friend. He was a completely different person than I remembered… but I was a different person than he remembered.

"Any last words, Dark…!" he began, but was interrupted by a lightning arrow that hit him in the back. "Damn nihil!" He jumped away, burning armor lit once again, at one of the towers that held the bridge up.

A second later, the enigma that had attacked me a while ago was standing at my side. "Get up." he told me. Then he placed his hand on my shoulder, and I felt a little better. "We will have to help each other if we are going to defeat him." the enigma told me.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Nobody."

Brenton came rushing at us before I could ask him what he meant by 'nobody.' He aimed a punch right between us, but we both dodged it, and then Brenton turned on his flame field. This time it encompassed almost the entire expanse of the bridge. I pulled out my Buster Sword and put it in the ground, then stood on its edges. Nobody jumped onto one of the pillars.

Brenton walked toward me slowly this time, but Nobody began raining electric arrows at him Brenton did his best to dodge them, but being preoccupied with Nobody, I ran across the burning bridge to give him a few hits with my Masamune, then jumped back. Being distracted by me, Nobody was able to nail Brenton a few times (turns out Nobody is a real deadeye).

"Enough! I'm ending this NOW!" Brenton yelled, clearly infuriated by our team attack. Though I couldn't see exactly how far, it looked like the entire city of St. Louis was now on fire. I heard several explosions across the town, likely cars blowing up. I was again standing on my Buster Sword when Brenton charged at me again, though I waited until he was in close range and gave him a good slash with my Masamune. The hit sent him flying into a lamppost, incapacitating him for a few moments.

Nobody then appeared at my side, standing in the crimson flames.

"This has gotten a bit out of hand. You'll need my being if you want to beat that man." Nobody told me.

"What are you talking about? Doesn't it hurt you, standing on fire?" I asked him.

"No. I don't feel pain. I told you, I'm nobody." he replied.

"Nobody…" I said, now understanding. He was a Nobody. "Okay, what do we do?"

"I'll give you the fibers of my being, and you hold your hands out in front of yourself. Say 'nihil' for the best effect." Nobody told me.

"Okay. But first, what's your name?" I asked him.

"I don't have one." he told me, then disappeared in a grey flash. Brenton had recovered by now, and was charging at me, fist outstretched. I felt Nobody's strength enter me… it felt like I was strong enough to break a mountain. I pulled out my Buster Sword and jumped up and forward from Brenton's attack, then floated for a second before shouting at the top of my lungs:

"_Nihil!_"

With that, a mass of grey energy poured out of my hands, completely drowning Brenton in twilight. The bridge under him also broke, drowning him in the torrents of the mighty Mississippi. I fell down, still exhausted, but I guessed I had tapped into my darkness a little, because I felt light-headed again. I noticed the city was no longer on fire before I passed out.

_… about your darkness…_

I guess I willingly killed one of my best (if old) friends. I didn't want to, but…

_The Roy I locked deep in my heart!_


	5. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen: The Truth**

I woke up a while later. I'm not sure how long I was out… a few hours, maybe. It was night time when I woke up, looking at the clear, starry sky. I stood up, cringing from the burn pains, and looked forward. I had blown off part of the bridge, and would have to find another way to get back to Amy. I could faintly see her; her robe had protected her from the flames.

I hobbled the other way, eventually recovering enough to do a full stride. I had to go quite a bit before I found another bridge across. I walked across it and then back to Amy, who had regained consciousness by now. I walked slower as I approached her.

"Roy! Are you alright?" she asked me as I strode up to her.

"Yeah, I'm OK. How about you?" I asked back.

"I'm fine." she replied. "What happened to that man... Brenton?"

"In the end… I killed him." I said. "He… "

"He was your friend, wasn't he?" she asked.

"An old one. But he wasn't the Brenton I knew." I replied. "He was twisted by the Order of Light."

"Okay, Roy, I'm tired of you lying and I heard what he said. So tell me the truth." she said forcefully.

"Ok. I'm getting tired of keeping secrets, anyway."

"First off, who are the Order of Light?" she asked me.

"You know as much as I do. All I know is that they're trying to 'purify' the world, which means we, or at least I, have to be killed. Their powers seem to be based on Chinese elements… I think…" was my reply.

"Okay, then… second, why do they keep calling you 'Dark Boy'?" she asked.

"… because of this." With that, I took off my coat and pulled my shirt sleeve up to the dark mark on my arm. "Jin… the grey-coated man, the Metal Master, said he 'judged' me, and this is the result. When I can't control my emotions any more, it spreads… and I get stronger." I told her. "But I'm afraid of it."

"Third, what did he mean by saying you killed all those people… Jason, in particular." Amy asked me.

"It's… true. I killed the brown-coated man back in Washington, even though he wasn't a threat any more. And I nearly killed that woman… Lyn. But I guess she used Jason as a shield… before I knew what happened, I had killed him." I replied.

"Then… I won't hold his death against you. Lastly, where's Serenity?" she asked me.

"Where is she? I thought you would have found her."

"No… I figured she might be with you." Amy replied.

"Hmph… they must have gotten her." I quickly assumed the worst.

"How do you know?" Amy asked.

"Well, they've never tried to hurt her, and I could tell… her heart's pure. We'll never see her again." I told Amy.

"What do you mean, 'we'll never see her again'? Won't they let her live?" she asked.

"Yeah, but we'll never see her again… not as she was. They'll probably twist the truth and say I intended to kill Jason… they will turn her against us, I'm sure of it." I stated.

"Well… let's rest for a while, then, and then we'll get going again." Amy replied.

"But… I killed Jason! How can you not hate me?" I asked her. "I don't understand."

"It wasn't your fault. Don't worry about it." she said with a smile.

I still didn't understand, though.

_So, this is the Realm of Darkness…_


	6. Interlude: Of Earth and Metal

**Interlude: Of Earth and Metal**

"Master, this is getting out of hand. How far are you willing to go to make a Sanctuary? Those teenagers have already killed three members!" an olive-skinned woman said.

"It is a bit ominous… the Dark Boy and his companion has proved far more resilient than I thought. I refuse to give up on this world, though. It's perfect." Charon replied.

"Shut up, little girl! Get over here!" a man yelled.

"No way! Let me go, you evil creep!" Serenity could be heard yelling.

"Jin? Jin, is that you?" the woman asked.

"Let me go!" Serenity shouted again, pushed into Charon's throne room. She was shackled and pushed forward by Jin's nerve pinch.

"So… you're the Dark Boy's pure hearted companion, eh? I expected you to be a little… taller." Charon taunted.

"Go to hell, you evil bastard!" Serenity yelled, spitting at his face. Charon stopped it, somehow, and her spit fell to the floor.

"Quite feisty… you'll make an excellent plaything. Jin, take her away to the dungeon. For your capture of this girl, I will allow you to live. But never show your face here again. Do I make myself clear?" Charon commanded.

"Yes, Master." Jin answered, and walked off with Serenity still screaming to be released.

"Now, for the matter of the Dark Boy… Ereshkigal, with your powers over the very ground they stand on, the Dark Boy and his companion should be nothing. It is your sworn duty to kill that boy." Charon commanded.

"Yes, Master." Ereshkigal answered, and walked off.

"Quite ridiculous… I may be facing those two here, in Amaterasu, soon…"

_You walk a path only one has tread before._


	7. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen: Nearing Fate**

It had been a week or so since the events in St. Louis. Amy and I had continued to walk through St. Louis until we found a new truck on the very outskirts of town. It was white with a double cab, but I still slouched in the bed. Amy had been more focused in her driving, and we were nearing our destination.

Amy seemed to take Serenity's possible abduction and Jason's death at my hands pretty well; she hadn't talked about it at all. Maybe it's just because we've been busy on the road, maybe it's because I sleep in the bed of the truck, but she didn't talk about it.  
We had arrived in North Carolina, near Kitty Hawk. I could smell the ocean breeze from my special seat. I opened my eyes and looked out at the dunes and ocean. It was a beautiful sight, complimented by a blue sky with wispy clouds. I could see one of the Appalachian Mountains in the distance.

I knew this pristine sight would not last, as the Order was still after us. I enjoyed the beautiful sight, understanding what was to come. We would have to fight some more.

It came too soon… the next storm. As I stared out at the perfect sight before me (wishing I had a camera of some sort), the truck was overturned before I knew what happened. I hopped out of the bed after the truck had been turned upside down, landing gracefully in the soft sands. I saw Amy jump out of the cab and roll a few times before coming to a complete stop.

I stood up and brushed the sand off of my pants and shook the sand off of my coat, then looked ahead, knowing someone would be there. Sure enough, I could faintly see a woman in a green coat through a swirling sandstorm.

Amy had recovered by now, and stood facing the raging sandstorm with me. "That's one of the Order of Light, isn't it?" she asked me.  
"No doubt." I replied simply, pulling out my Buster Sword. "I think she has power over Earth. The last element. This won't be an easy fight." "Is it ever easy?" she asked me, unsheathing her Sakaboto. I held my Buster Sword with both hands as we walked slowly toward the sandstorm. As we did so, the woman hiding just behind it became clearer. She had an olive complexion and black hair. She stepped out of the sandstorm as we approached the edge of the whirling vortex.

"Well, Dark Boy, let's not waste our time or breath. I am Ereshkigal, Earth Master of the Order of Light. You, and your companion, if she so wishes, will do battle with me." she stated outright.

"I'm not fighting you yet. I have a question I wish to ask of you." I told her. I truly did want to ask her something.

"It better be quick." Ereshkigal replied. I sensed she was anxious to start and finish the battle.

"Did you take a girl named Serenity when Brenton attacked us last week?" I asked her.

"Roy! You know…" Amy started, but I interrupted her.

"I have to know!" I shouted back.

"A girl… maybe we have her, maybe we don't. Beat me, and I'll tell you." Ereshkigal answered, a sinister tone in her voice.

"So be it."

I rushed at Ereshkigal with my Buster Sword in a horizontal position, Amy at my side. As we reached her, Ereshkigal jumped back into the swirling sandstorm and small needles of sand came flying out at us. I dodged them all, but Amy took a hit in her left shoulder, making her arm brieflygo limp.

We ran through the sandstorm, and stood facing the strongest member of the Order. She had raised the ground in crags, and was on an earthen pillar about 100 feet high. Amy and I looked up, a steely resolve in both our hearts, and began jumping up the crags toward her.

_Allow me to show you your ultimate destiny…_


	8. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen: Raging Gaia**

I vaulted up several crags, losing sight of Amy in the process. I glared up at Ereshkigal, who glared back at me, then sent boulders and sand needles at me. I narrowly dodged the boulders, but got hit in the lower torso with a couple of sand needles. I grunted, and then kept vaulting up the crags to about the halfway point.

At this time, spears of rock came shooting out of the crags, nearly killing me. I narrowly dodged in between them all, and then kept jumping up the crags. All the while, spears of rock, needles of sand, and boulders continued to fling themselves at me. Eventually I made it to the plateau, a grassy little crag, where Amy had already engaged Ereshkigal in battle. I pulled out my Zangetsu and charged at her.

As I charged at Ereshkigal, Amy used a Batto-jutsu, which Ereshkigal easily dodged, and then threw sand needles at Amy. She was able to dodge them well. I took a side swing at Ereshkigal's torso, but she armored herself with a small barrier of sand. Ereshkigal then threw some sand needles at me, one of which got my right leg, but left herself open to an attack from Amy. She screamed as Amy gave her a good, deep cut in her back.

Ereshkigal then raised herself higher than the surrounding crags; she was probably about 25 feet higher than Amy and I. We jumped up onto the cliff, and I lost sight of Amy again. I used the cloth wrapping on my Zangetsu to use it as a climbing tool. I reached the top in a minute or two, dodging rock spikes the whole way.

When I reached the plateau again, Amy wasn't there. Ereshkigal faced me and pulled a boulder out of the crags below, throwing it at me. I dodged it, but then the ground began to fall, descending faster than I was falling. Amy appeared amongst the falling crags, but I turned to grab onto one of the cliffs.

I managed to grab onto one of the cliffs, and then pulled myself up. Somehow Amy had been able to do so as well, and I looked at her from across the sinkhole.

"Let's go!" I yelled.

"Right!" she answered.

We started jumping down the cliffs, eventually reaching the bottom of the sinkhole. There Ereshkigal waited for us, ready for a real fight. I was tired of running, and taking a few wounds didn't help, either.

"No more running! Let's get to it!" I yelled at her.

"Fine!" she yelled, and rushed at me, sending spikes of rock up from under my feet. I jumped up, but Ereshkigal came at me, earthen spears in hand. She had forgotten about Amy, though, and Amy came up on Ereshkigal's back and gave her another good, deep cut. Ereshkigal turned around to get Amy, losing her focus on me and lowering the spikes. I then threw my Zangetsu at her, using the cloth as a cord, and got her right in the stomach.

Ereshkigal staggered, spitting up blood. I pulled my blood-covered Zangetsu out using the cloth, and got back into my ready position. Amy stood opposite me, holding her Sakaboto with both hands. We both charged at Ereshkigal at the same time, both shouting at the top of our lungs. But we had severely underestimated Ereshkigal's power and resolve.

Just before we could get the deathblow in, Ereshkigal rasied herself on a pillar of rock about 20 feet above us. Both of our fierce strikes hit nothing but rock.

"Even… without darkness… they're… too much!" She gasped, the pillar of rock now rising at a slower rate. I couldn't see Amy, but, using the cloth,I threw my Zangetsu into the surrounding bedrock, pulled myself up to the rock, and rebounded off of it towards Ereshkigal.

Amy had climbed up the crag, and was at Ereshkigal's back. Once again, she charged at Ereshkigal, batto-jutsu style. Unfortunately, even with those grievous wounds, Ereshkigal was able to dodge it, and sent Amy flying back down to the crags below with a spear of rock.

I… couldn't control… my emotions any more. I felt that darkness awaken…

_I gave up the darkness!_


	9. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen: Last Shadow: Light**

I felt my darkness flowing through me, pervading my entire being. I looked down at my hands. They had both become jet black, and I could faintly see a dark, purple aura around them. I could only guess how far the darkness had gone…

I jumped at the rock pillar, slashing at Ereshkigal with my Zangetsu. Even with my darkness-empowered attacks, she was able to block my assaults with slabs of stone, though my blade was cutting through them like warm butter. Through pure, brute strength and fancy footwork, eventually I was able to get to Ereshkigal. I sliced off her left arm before she knew what happened.

Ereshkigal screamed in agony a second after I had cut off her arm, but separated herself from the rest of the crags we were on. She went up at a fast pace now, clearly desperate. I jumped after her, and harpooned my Zangetsu into her platform with the cloth.

A second later, I was above the sinkhole. Apparently, Ereshkigal knew I had latched onto her platform.

"You… really want some… fun, Dark Boy? Here… you go!" she said with the last of her energy. I looked forward, and the mountain I had seen earlier had risen out of the ground, and was now flying at me. I pulled on my Zangetsu to get it out of the rock platform, then let myself fall into the sinkhole, and used my Zangetsu to stop myself in the rock. I waited for the mountain to pass overhead, and then jumped up when I heard it crash into the ocean.

Ereshkigal was still on her platform when I got up there, undoubtedly dead. I went and decapitated her, anyway. Then I proceeded to use my Souba to continually slash at her chest, blood flying everywhere.

"Roy! That's enough!" Amy yelled, hugging me from behind. I hadn't noticed it, but the earth had returned to normal. "Please… stop…" she cried. I felt the darkness leaving me, and dropped my bloodstained Souba.

"Sorry… I don't know what… came over me…" I said, having lost a lot of energy in the battle and from using my darkness. As soon as the darkness had completely left me, either from honest-to-goodness exhaustion or from using my darkness, I passed out.

_…but more importantly…_

I awoke once again to a clear, starry sky. The clean, distinct scent of seawater almost surrounded me. I sat up in the sand and turned around to find Amy seated in front of a campfire. Then I stood up and walked over to it, hearing Amy cry a little. I sat down opposite her.

"Roy! You're okay!" she shouted, and then came over and sat next to me. I think she tried to hug me again, but I did my best to shrug her off. Romance… isn't my thing, ya know?

"Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry… about before." I said once she had given up. "I don't know what happened… I guess I just lost control."

"It's okay. Nobody can always control themselves." Amy replied. "Well, that's the last of them, I think." she said, and then quickly put her head on my shoulder by surprise. "Wasn't it great, though? We got to reenact a scene from Naruto!"

"What scene?" I asked her, barely able to restrain myself.

"The one where Sasuke uses his cursed seal for the first time… and just about annihilates all three of those Sound Ninja. It was kind of like that." She answered.

"Yeah, I guess so. Let's just hope what happened to Sasuke doesn't happen to me!" I said with a small smile, and then tried to shrug Amy off again.

"Just a little longer?" she asked me, looking up.

"Tch! Fine…" I muttered, finally submitting.

I suppose, that time gave me some… time to resolve myself… not to give in to my darkness, no matter how dire the situation was. I couldn't give in to it… what the darkness made me into really scared me. I had continued to attack a woman that was already beaten, even after she was dead. It was… inhumane.

As I was thinking, the soft sky and the lull of the ocean drifted me off to sleep…

I awoke to a beautiful sunrise, Amy's head still on my shoulder. I gently set her down on the fine sands, then walked up to the beach and stared into the horizon.

_The truth about Charon…_


	10. Interlude: Of Light

**Interlude: Of Light**

"It seems the Dark Boy is far too strong to be defeated by normal opponents. Even against Ereshkigal's awesome power, he was too much. It seems he doesn't want the darkness, though…" Charon mused as he paced about his throne room. "Darkness…"

"Undoubtedly, **HE** will show them the way here. But here, in Amaterasu, those two will be far too weak, especially before **MY **strength. How amusing that will be… two forlorn heroes, facing me, the Master of Light!"

"But I will have my Sanctuary. Before me, those two children are nothing, though I must admire their resilience." he finished. "If they want to die, so be it. Heheh…"


	11. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen: Revelations**

It had only been a few days since the events at Kitty Hawk. After that day, we had walked until we found a ghost town, and after clearing out the Heartless, took a green truck. She had been driving for only a couple days when we finally reached our destination: Washington, D.C.

When we got there, she asked me where in D.C. I wanted to go, specifically. The World War II Monument and the Reflecting Pool. It was the dead of night, with a partly cloudy sky and cold, crisp air. We had already cleared out the local horde of Heartless.

Amy pulled up to the Monument, and we got out. We stood there, looking at our reflections, and then looked up to see a red-robed man with blonde hair standing opposite from us, near the Lincoln Monument. He looked familiar…

"Roy, who is that?" Amy asked me.

"I don't know. Let's go see." I replied. We then began to walk around the Reflecting Pool. It really did make me reflect… on who I was, on how far I had come, and on what my future might hold. After a few minutes, we reached the man, who had his back turned to us.

"Who are you?" Amy asked him.

"I am a servant of the world." he answered, then laughed as he turned around. "And if I'm a servant, you should consider yourselves weapons, at best."

When he said that, it felt like my head was going to explode…

_If you go there, you will find the truth about yourself, about your darkness, but more importantly…_

"… the truth about the light in your soul." DiZ finished. It was him: DiZ, or Ansem the Wise. Darkness in Zero…

"What do you mean? Why are you helping us, if you are?" I asked him.

"So many questions, so much time. Suffice to say, I feel… responsible for what has happened here. All of it ties back to him." he answered.

"Who?" Amy asked him.

"My foremost apprentice, Xehanort, of course. Surely, you know of him?" he asked us.

"Well, yeah. His Heartless ravaged the worlds in Kingdom Hearts, eventually trying to send all into oblivion. And his Nobody, Xemnas, tried to obtain his own Kingdom Hearts and, in short, become omnipotent. What of it?" I answered Ansem's question with one of my own.

"You know of the hero, Sora's, exploits? Then you know that Xehanort has been completely destroyed. But there was another, created by the Light, to dispose of Xehanort if the Keyblade master could not." Ansem replied.

"… another, created by the Light? Who… what are you talking about?" Amy asked.

"The one you would know as Charon… master and commander of the Order of Light. The one who controls all the elements in conjunction with Light and fate." he replied.

"Charon… he is the Master? Created by the Light?" I asked.

"Yes, he was. You see, the Light had a 'backup' plan, in case Sora failed. The Light created its bioweapon, Charon, as a last resort for defeating Xehanort." Ansem stated.

"A bioweapon? He's a person, made by the Light, to destroy Xehanort?" Amy asked.

"A person? No. It would be best to refer to him as a Luce, beings created with bodies and pure hearts, but lacking souls." Ansem replied.

"Okay, I'm tired of getting half-assed answers! I want the truth! The whole truth!" I shouted after a pause.

"The truth?" He laughed. "The truth is, Charon plans to make your world into his Sanctuary, a place where he, and other Luce, can exist. But for his Sanctuary to be hospitable, nearly all souls, and all Heartless from the world must be destroyed. Only then can Luce exist in that world, and in order to achieve this, he brainwashes pure hearted people he abducts These people are his 'Masters,' and they carry out his orders from his base within Kingdom Hearts itself; Amaterasu." He explained at great length.

"But why doesn't the Light just destroy him, if the Light created him?" Amy asked. "Why do we have to clean up?"

"Charon… was engineered specifically for destroying Xemnas. He was made to be better, faster, and stronger. But once Sora defeated him, Charon had no purpose. He was simply discarded, but was too strong to just vanish. Charon set out to find his own life and goals. But lacking a soul, and the direction of the Light, he found only death and sorrow along his path. Death and sorrow he caused." Ansem said.

"Death and sorrow… and emptiness. Being engineered to kill without mercy, no light, no twilight, no darkness can defeat him. You must use the one thing Charon fears to overcome him." Ansem told us.

"The one thing he fears?"

"The power of your souls. Especially you, Roy. Your odd mix of a dark heart and a soul of light… you walk a path only one has walked before." he answered.

"I think I understand… we have to go kill him, because nobody else can. What about Sora?" I earnestly asked.

"Sora? He's busy playing on his beach with his friends. Regardless, he isn't strong enough, and his world is sealed off." Ansem replied.

"So… what do we do? How do we get to Amaterasu?" Amy asked him.

"Amy! Isn't this a lot to take in? We're taking the fate of the world on our shoulders! Maybe more! Don't you think this is beyond our scope?" I asked her.

"No. We've been handling this pretty well, up 'till now. It's just a little more. And we both knew it would come to something like this." Amy replied.

"I guess so. Alright, Ansem. We'll do it. How do we get there?" I asked, ready to accept whatever came next.

"Go there." he said, and snapped his fingers. A Keyhole appeared in the Reflecting Pool. "There… go to Kingdom Hearts. And Roy… I admire your control of your darkness." Ansem said, then dissipated into black smoke.

"Wait!" I yelled, reaching out to him. But my hand only grabbed smoke…

Ansem's voice stayed for a moment, though. He said: remember, don't think. Feel. Do as your heart tells you.

"Come on, Roy. Let's go." Amy said. We walked over to the shining Keyhole, and then waded up to it. Then everything got bright…


	12. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen: Ruins of Nothing**

When the flash was gone, I opened my eyes to see a dark city, lit by a few neon signs. The sky was cloudy, but there was a faint crimson glow in them. It could only be… The World that Never Was. What was left of it, anyway…

"Oh, my head…" I muttered as I sat up. Our landing had been… a bit rough. Amy was next to me, sitting on the wet ground in the alleyway.

"What happened? Where are we?" she asked me as she got up.

"I don't know what happened, but it looks like we got teleported to The World that Never Was, somehow. I imagine the Keyhole had something to do with it." I replied.

"The World that Never Was? What could be here?" Amy asked again.

I thought for a moment before replying. "Kingdom Hearts. Xemnas' Kingdom Hearts… or what's left of it, anyway."

"So, that's how we're supposed to get to Amaterasu. Well, come on, let's get going!" she proclaimed, and we set out amongst the alleyways.

Soon, we came to am overturned truck. The lights were still on. I jumped up on the trailer, and then helped Amy up. We then jumped down. I turned to the right, and the Memory's Skyscraper towered above us. For some reason… I couldn't stop looking at it. It was mesmerizing, somehow…

"Roy! What's happening to you?" Amy asked. "Your arm… it's turning black!" she shouted. I looked down, and it was slowly turning jet black.

"Come on, let's get out of here before I lose control!" I yelled, finally able to take my eyes off of the Skyscraper. We ran to the Brink of Despair and then up to the Castle That Never Was. I felt the darkness slowly leaving me when we entered the castle, as well as an eerie silence.

"What was that? You lost control of your darkness?" Amy asked me.

"I guess. The Dark City and Memory's Skyscraper must have had something to do with it. They ARE some of the darkest places to ever exist." I said. "At least it's gone."

"You have a point. And the important thing is, you didn't give in to it." she said with a smile. We then proceeded up the castle, passing the same places as Sora. Eventually we came to the Hall of Empty Melodies, wherein we encountered Luce.

They were almost like people, but shining yellow, so you couldn't see any distinctive features. I could see Xemnas' corrupted Kingdom Hearts outside, the huge "wound" still there.

"So, these must be Luce. Charon's rolled out the welcoming mat already? Heheh… this'll be fun." I said, feeling a little aggressive. "You know what to do!" I said to Amy while pulling out my Masamune.

"Yeah. Let's get 'em!" she yelled back, pulling out her Sakaboto. We then charged at these eerie, silent lights.

There were about half a dozen of them. The Luce weren't too tough, and were rather passive. Some of them tried to punch or kick me, but I easily dodged the blows (especially easy after fighting Brenton), and Amy and I proceeded to hack our way through the rest of the castle up to the Altar of Naught.

The tower itself was broken, but by jumping up to the stairs and climbing with our swords, we were able to reach the steep railing of the tower, and stood on the arches of our feet as we stared into the abyss of the Dark City below and the vortex of Xemnas' corrupt Kingdom Hearts.

"So, that's where we have to go?" Amy asked me.

"I guess. What does your heart tell you?" I asked her with a slight snicker.

"You're terrible." she replied.

"Come on, let's go!" I shouted, and then jumped into the vortex. Everything went white again…

_Guardian, murderer, pacifist, warrior…_


	13. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen: Shining Heavens**

After the flash faded, I opened my eyes to a blinding sight. Everything I could see was pure white or crystal. There were several pillars leading to a crystal door and staircase. I couldn't see where the staircase leads; I guess there was a wall in the way. A thin mist covered the ground, making my feet invisible.

I couldn't see how far the away the door was… probably about 100 yards. Amy stood beside me, shielding her eyes from the blinding light as well. We were standing side by side, looking toward what would lead to our most intense battle together.

"Come on! Toward twelve 'o clock!" I yelled, and after our eyes had adjusted to the bright light, we walked slowly toward the door, still side by side. Amy was silent as we moseyed on up to the door, fog moving around our feet. I opened the ornate crystal door for her, and then walked in after her.

The crystal staircase rose a lot higher than I had imagined; I could faintly see another ornate crystal door at the top, roughly another 100 yards away. After Amy and I reached the halfway point, a few more Luce appeared, and though they were a lot stronger than they were in the Castle that Never Was, they were still weak compared to our now awesome strength.

After we had reached the top of the staircase, I opened the door for Amy again, and then followed her in. The interior of the room was just as bright as the room before, but there were only two pillars, with a throne raised in a dais. It was semicircular, the room; and something about it filled me with dread.

"So, this is his base, eh? Not much, if you ask me." I muttered.

"Be careful, Roy. That Charon could be anywhere." Amy told me.

"Quite right…"

I shielded my eyes as a bright flash flared, then faded into a man. He was really tall, probably about 7 feet, with white hair and a white and yellow coat. It was him: Charon, Master of Light. The insidious character that had caused us so much pain, anger, and sorrow; the one who was responsible for what had happened to me.

His steely blue eyes seemed to resonate with my own. I looked at him coldly, and he did the same to me. Something about him just enraged me… maybe it was destiny. Either way, Charon looked at us with a sinister and cold look for a few minutes before he said anything else.

"So, two forlorn heroes have come to do battle with me? This should be amusing." he taunted us.

"Charon, huh? Well, you don't look so tough. Well, we won't give you your Sanctuary without a fight!" I yelled.

"That's right!" Amy shouted as we drew our blades. I drew my Masamune.

"So, that echo led you here? Well, then, heroes… come." Charon said, crossing his arms on his chest. Two lances appeared in his hands with brief flashes of light.

Amy and I charged at Charon, who charged at us simultaneously…

_I guess this place is fitting for an exile._


	14. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty: To Challenge Fate**

As his first move, Charon thrusted his lances at Amy and I. We both moved his spears to the side by using our blades, but then he… warped behind us, getting us in the shoulders. I screamed in pain as he pushed the spear further into me.

After a few moments of agony, I walked forward, removing the spear. I then did a spin slash, in the opposite direction of Amy, who was still stuck with a spear. Though the blow should have connected, something seemed to stop my slash just millimeters from his skin.

Amy had now stepped away from his lance, and did a batto-jutsu to the best of her ability (with one of her arms disabled). Her blow, as well, was stopped just millimeters before connecting. Something was wrong here… something I couldn't quite place my finger on.

"So, you two thought normal weapons would be enough to defeat ME? How touching." Charon taunted us. Something didn't seem right about him… even knowing what he was, there was something off-putting about this whole fight.

"You can't beat me, forlorn heroes. Nothing in your power can stop me." He continued to taunt, whirling his lances and charging at us. Again I used my blade to knock the blow away from me, but this time I spun at the same time, making a blow that should have connected with his lower torso when he appeared behind us. It didn't connect.

Amy had once again been stricken in the shoulder. She screamed in agony as the lance was driven further into her skin. I tried another blow that would have knocked Charon's head clean off his shoulders, but it too was stopped. I started to fear for my life…

"Is it starting to sink in, Dark Boy? No attack can hurt me here. Not here, in my own Realm of Light!" Charon yelled, swinging his other lance at me. The blow hit, and I was sent flying into the wall. I spat up a little blood, then stood back up, Masamune in hand.

During this time, Charon had continued to attack Amy, who was now a bloody mess on the floor. I felt that dark rage building up in me, but I didn't feel any power enter my body. It must have been this place… the Realm of Light. There was no darkness here.

"So, Dark Boy, do you understand it now? I can control your fate, as well as your light and therefore, by consequence, your darkness. You cannot defeat me." He said calmly, then rushed at me. Instead of using a thrusting maneuver, Charon had his spear outstretched in a horizontal position, intending to knock me into the wall again.

But then I felt something… not my darkness, but a distant memory. I slashed down on his lance just before he would have rammed into me. Even though I was able to stop his blow, the recoil from my attack sent me flying through the wall and into regions unknown.


	15. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One: Exiled into the Darkness**

When I knew what had happened to me, it was a while later. I felt the calm, soft waters washing me ashore. Then I opened my eyes to see the realm of darkness. There was little there; mostly slightly glowing rocks, with a beach. The sun was also a bright white color. I stood up groggily after being washed ashore. I had been knocked back by the force of my blow connecting with Charon's attack… but then what?

I looked at the bright sun and the glowing rocks. This is where Sora was… and Riku, too. I thought to myself. How quaint. I looked around. Nothing around here. I thought. Wonder what I'm supposed to do?

Then, I got a thought: Train.

Train to defeat the one who had killed Amy… train to defeat the one who had forced one of his lackeys to force me to kill Jason… train to defeat the one who would turn Serenity against me!

I pulled out my Buster Sword and wandered into the darkness that stood in front of me. I wandered off into the shadows of the universe, the depths of darkness. There, I would find the truth about myself… the WHOLE truth.

_Two months later…_

I had been meandering in the darkness for two months, maybe a little longer. I lost track around 60 days. In my solitude in the darkness, I trained. There were more Heartless around than anywhere else, and they were awfully strong. I used them to develop and finesse my technique, though I reckoned I still had a long way to go if I was going to defeat Charon.

I don't really know what I ate… maybe nothing. Maybe in the realm of darkness I didn't need food. I had been wandering for so long, but still I kept my goal in mind; slay Charon. That was all that kept me going. Bringing justice to that evil thing, whatever he was.

After some time, I saw an orange door appear in the darkness. It was shining, not unlike the door to light. It was bright, completely unlike the darkness in which I was immersed. The Heartless certainly seemed to like it. They appeared in a mass swarm after the door opened.

I pulled out my Souba and my Masamune, then slammed them together with the power of darkness to make the Soubasune: my own, unique weapon. It was a twin-edged Masamune. I used it to quickly decimate the Heartless. They were nothing before my new strength and skill.

Then I walked into the shining light… it wasn't Sora's light, though…


	16. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Graveyard of Light**

After the shining light faded, I found myself on a one-way path. The ground was bare dirt, and there were a lot of boulders just sitting around. A bit of a sandstorm was kicked up, but even so, it was a nice change of scenery from the realm of darkness.

I split apart my Soubasune, then began walking. I could only guess where I was, and if I was there, I felt a great foreboding. I remembered only one place like this in Kingdom Hearts games… the place where all those Keyblades laid, unused by their masters.

A place of death.

Eventually, after a couple of hours of walking through a sandstorm, I came to two very large rocks jutting out of the ground. I walked past them to see a four-way intersection. There, in the intersection, rested three Keyblades: Sora's Kingdom Key, Riku's Road to the Dawn, and Mickey's inverse Kingdom Key. And there, surrounding them, were hundreds… maybe thousands… of Keyblades. "So much death…" I muttered as I walked forth into the Keyblade Graveyard. "So this is where Keyblades goes when their users die or don't need them any longer."

I walked up to the three Keyblades of the heroes: Sora's, Riku's, and Mickey's. I tried to grab Sora's, but something stopped me. A flash of light, and something weird made me stop.

Then I wandered around the Graveyard, searching for Jason's Keyblade. I grabbed it. Then I started having these strange visions.

I was standing in front of a cave. There Serenity stood, just inside the cave. I ran after her, hand outstretched, her back to me. I reached out to her as he turned around. Then she held her hand out to me, but I was blown back by a gust of wind from the cave. I sat up, looking at Serenity. Her hand was still outstretched. I reached out for her hand, but was again blown back, this time to regions unknown.

When I woke up, I was a bit distanced from the cave. Amy stood there in front of me, laughing, and helped me up. She laughed a couple more times, then looked to the sky with wonder. I turned around to see… myself…. falling into the cloudy sky. When I did, I stumbled backwards, then felt myself falling… into the sky. Amy held her hand out to me, but I just kept falling. Eventually I fell into a cloud, and then everything got even weirder.


	17. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Awakening – Inverse**

As I continued to fall into the cloud, eventually I felt myself landing on a white platform in a pure white area. I stepped forward, and as I did so, a flock of ravens flew off of the platform, revealing a stained glass floor. I looked up as the ebon birds flew off into the distance.

I stood on the stained glass pillar. It had a picture of Jason on it, with portraits of Amy, Serenity, and I surrounding him, with an ornate pattern surrounding the entire thing.

_So little to do, so much time…Take your time. Don't be afraid. The door is still open. Now, step forward. Can you do it?_

_Okay, mysterious voice_, I thought. I stepped forward to the center of the platform, and after I did so, three small platforms rose out of the stained glass. One had a sword, one had a shield, and one had a staff.

_Power sleeps within you. If you give it form… it will give you strength. Choose wisely._

I already knew what I was going to pick. I walked up to the sword.

The power of the warrior. Invincible courage. A sword of terrible destruction.  
Is this the power you seek?

_Yes_, I thought, while taking the blade. _Without power, I cannot protect anything, but since I have nothing left to protect, I'll destroy._

_Your path is set. Now, what will you give up in return?_

The sword had disappeared from my hands. I turned around to face the two remaining weapons: the staff and the shield. I walked to the center of the pillar again, hesitated for a moment, then walked toward the staff.

_The power of the mystic. Inner strength. A staff of wonder and ruin.  
You give up this power?_

_Yeah_, I thought, holding the staff. _I've never been one for show, just finishing what I started. Who needs wonder?_

_You've chosen the power of the warrior. You've given up the power of the mystic. Is this the form you choose?_

I nodded my head while walking back to the center of the platform. The trapezoid platforms then sank into the stained glass, and the glass itself began to shatter. I began to despair as the shattering reached me, then I began to fall into the white abyss.

After falling a while, I landed on another stained glass platform, the same as the last one, but with a different background color. Everything else was still white. I stood up, then looked around a little.

_You've gained the power to fight. Use this power to protect yourself and others. Keep your darkness flowing freely._

I pulled out my Zangetsu and made a couple of slashes. Then a couple of Luce appeared, but I took them down easily. After that, the entire pillar became immersed in light. I found myself struggling to get away from it, but eventually the whiteness swallowed me.

I woke up, flailing to get away from the light that had swallowed me. The light was gone, though. I panted a couple of times, then stood up on another stained glass pillar with the same image, but yet another different background color. A transparent door stood in front of me.

I walked over to it and tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. Then a box appeared behind me. I pushed it around a little bit, then smashed it. A barrel then appeared. I did the same to it. Then the door solidified.

I opened it, and a great darkness swallowed me. When it was gone, I was standing in my old school's cafeteria. Amy, Jason, and Serenity stood there.

_Hold on. The door won't close just yet. First, tell me a little about yourself._

I walked over to Amy. "What's important to you?" she asked me.

"Saving those I care about." I answered. It was vague, but was truthful.

"Is saving people really that important?" she asked.

Then I walked over to Jason. "What do you want out of life?" he asked.

"I want to be forgiven." I answered. I truly did want to be forgiven… both by him, and by Amy.

"Is forgiveness that big a deal?" he asked.

Lastly, I walked over to Serenity. "What are you afraid of?" she asked.

"The light." I answered. I was afraid of the light, but more so, what laid in it.

_You want to save those you care about. You want to be forgiven. You are afraid of the light.  
Your adventure began at twilight. You kept a strong, steady gait._

_Yeah, sounds right_. I thought. Then another flash of light brought me back to another stained glass pillar. Once there, many more Luce appeared. I slew them all. Then a path of curving, stained glass squares. I ran across them to another stained glass pillar. A dark sun stood in front of me as I walked up to it.

The closer you get to darkness, the greater your light becomes.

I turned around to see the stained glass behind me turning white in the shape of my shadow. It fleshed itself out and stood up on the pillar.

_But don't be afraid. And don't forget…_

The Genesis Luce then attacked me. I fought it off with my four blades, using the Soubasune and the Dragon Blade (a combination of my Zangetsu and Buster Sword) along with my new technique. After leaving it on the floor, I split apart my blades and sheathed them. Then I turned around to face the dark sun. But as I did so, the Genesis Luce got back up, and the platform under me turned white.

_But don't be afraid. You hold the mightiest weapon of all._

Eventually the light swallowed me. I stood, horrified, as the Genesis Luce was about to strike be. Just before it did so, the light swallowed me entirely, and a shining light blinded me as I was once again whisked away to regions unknown.

_So don't forget: You are the one who will close the door._


	18. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Procrastination - Decision**

After the flash had ended, I found myself back in the Keyblade Graveyard, holding Jason's Keyblade. I understood what I had to do with the power trusted to me. I made the Keyblade disappear in a flash of light, then walked back the way I came. Eventually I came to the door of twilight and walked through it, back to the realm of darkness. Back to my training.

_Some time later…_

After I was confident in my ability, and after I understood who I was, I found the door of twilight again. Roaming the gloomy land of darkness, fighting Heartless continually, I found myself. I walked through the door to twilight again.

This time, though, I found myself in Twilight Town. I decided after my undetermined time of training I would relax for a short while. After posting Struggle posters to earn some Munny, I rented a room at the local inn.

I stayed there about a week, and even participated in the Struggle. It must have been summer, since we were playing for keeps. A year had passed since we had set out on our journey… and I was the only one left fighting for justice. Light, perhaps?

Naturally, I owned everyone else in the Struggle. Even Setzer was nothing. While I did appreciate the nice little Munny prize, I gave the trophy to Hayner. I wasn't really deserving of such a thing, since I was in an entirely different league than them. I don't know how to hold back, either.

Using that Munny, I got the holes in my coat fixed. It was a bit ragged, especially after getting stabbed by Charon. Yes… Charon. I still had the memory of my family's and friends' deaths clear in my mind. But I wasn't fighting for revenge.

I thought about all this while lying in my bed, staring at the ceiling. Sure, Charon had killed Amy, but I had killed Jason. Then again, he had undoubtedly killed Serenity by now, at least from my point of view.

On the third day of my 'vacation,' I wandered over to the old mansion. It seemed nobody had gone in here since Sora's adventure into it. The entire place was covered in dust. After walking around for a little while, I moseyed on into the basement. The beam to the digital Twilight Town was still in working order. I hesitated to go in it so soon.

After slacking off for a few days, reliving that which I once was, getting some rest, I decided it was time for me to end this. I returned to the mansion basement, touched the beam. I found myself in the digital Twilight Town, looking at the computer smashed by Roxas.

Then I found the portal to The World that Never Was. In the Alley to Between, I walked forward, encountering some Heartless. I slew them. Then I continued my tread to the Castle that Never Was, once again reaching the Altar of Naught. I stood on the edge of the broken altar, then once again jumped into the deteriorating Kingdom Hearts.


	19. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Mistakes and Salvation**

Once I had again gone through the bright flash, I found myself on a floating island. A white sky surrounded me in all directions, and the ground I was standing on was blighted white. In the distance, across several more floating islands, I could see a white castle. I hopped across onto another floating island, dust stirring in my wake.

No sooner had I set foot on the other island when a group of Luce attacked me. I easily warded them off with my Dragon Blade. Then I hopped across the islands until I was close to the castle, slaying Luce all the way. When I was only a couple islands away from the castle, I was overcome by them. I continued to slash at the creatures, but more and more continued to come.

In the end, I was in the center of the island, acrobatically dodging their attacks and doing my best to attack in return. After 15 minutes or so, there was a parting in the Luce, and he appeared.

Jin.

The Luce halted their assault for the moment. Jin walked toward me, slowly. There was something different about him, though. I couldn't place my finger on it.

"So, you've returned." Jin said as he walked up to me. "Didn't expect to see you again."

"Well, of course I'm back! You didn't really think I'd stay in the realm of darkness forever, did you?" I asked him with a shrug. He now stood in front of me, a bit taller than I was.

"Roy… letting you live was my greatest mistake…" he muttered. Then he turned around and put his back to mine as the Luce stirred to action again. "… as well as my salvation."

"So, I saved you while you saved me? Hah! Kinda funny…" I replied.

The Luce began to attack us. Jin used metal blades he could conjure from the metals in the floating island, while I dual-wielded my Soubasune and Dragon Blade. We continued to slay the Luce, despite their seemingly endless numbers, and eventually there were only a few Luce left. I left our position to attack the Luce on the outer edge of the island.

After slaying the dozen or so Luce that littered the edge of the island, I turned around to see Jin stuck through the stomach by one of the Luce. I quickly blazed over there to save him, slaying the Luce. Despite my best efforts, after evidencing and being the cause of so much death, I knew what would happen to Jin.

Jin lay on the dusty ground, clutching his stomach. Gasping for breath, he told me his final words.

"Roy… I don't regret… judging you any more. You've shown me… that even light… is fallible. In the end… I died for a worthy cause. Justice." He told me, then let out his death rattle.

"Justice…" I thought, holding his corpse. _How does one define justice? What is justice?_ Pondering these things in my heart, I took the last few leaps to the castle gates.


	20. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six: A Whole New Roy**

I jumped up to the island with the castle on it. After opening the outer gates, I stood in the courtyard, looking up to the roof. There, a woman in an orange trench coat stood on the soles of her feet, hanging ten above the castle. I knew who she was, and who she was not…

I walked up to the inner castle gate. Looking up, I saw the woman jump down, then use fire to stop her fall from the high rooftop. The woman that stood before me was, and was not, Serenity Sheno. The one I had traveled so far with, lost to the light, and now would be forced to kill.

"So, you've come," were her first words to me. "After a year, I didn't expect you to still be alive, let alone able to find your way here." she taunted me, a smug look on her face.

"Never count me out early! Unless you've got my head, don't expect me to be dead." I told her, cleverly rhyming. "I'm far more resilient than you might expect. So, Serenity, how fast do you intend on killing me? Are you going to take it slow, so I can draw out the fight, or are you gonna do it fast, so I can end this now?"

She laughed. "You, kill me? Here, in the realm of light, where just a simple snap of my fingers can incinerate you? You're sorely mistaken if you think you're going to kill ME. I'm not the Serenity you knew." Serenity replied.

"True. But, at the same time, I'm not the Roy you knew." I said, closing my eyes. Then, I concentrated, peeling away the layers of darkness I had enveloped my heart in. A barrier of darkness to ward off pain. A shield of shadow to stop sorrow. I pulled it all away.

My hair tuned snow white. I felt my energies being increased exponentially. This was my true power… the power of the true me.

Serenity stepped back in shock. I opened my eyes, this time looking at her with a sinister look. "You… you're… not the Roy I knew!" she shouted.

"You're right, to some degree. I'm the true Roy… the Roy I locked deep in my heart, sealed within the darkness! The Roy who can feel sorrow and despair! The Roy who can feel joy and happiness!" I yelled, pulling out all my blades and whirring them in midair.

The Souba and Masamune combined into the Soubasune in midair, and the Buster Sword and Zangetsu combined into the Dragon Blade in midair. When I got hold of them, I combined both blades into my ultimate weapon: the Phoenix Sword.

The Phoenix Sword… a great sword about 10 feet long. Its 9 foot long blade is composed entirely of Orichalon, an immensely heavy, red stone that causes energy discharges in those it strikes. The handle is small, consisting of a proper handle and a phoenix wing motif hand guard.

I pointed the immense blade at her, clearly terrified, and offered Serenity an ultimatum. "Get out of my way now, or die." I said.

"W-who… w-w-what are y-you?" she asked me in a shaky voice.

"I told you, I'm the true Roy. The one you never knew." I said simply. "Now stand aside, or suffer the consequences."

"I won't leave! Charon's counting on me!" Serenity proclaimed, her voice still a little shaky.

"… then so be it." I said, then sliced her in half with supersonic speed before she knew what happened.

I turned around to see what had become of the last of my friends. Serenity laid there, masterfully cleaved in two, blood spurting everywhere across the ghostly courtyard. I walked over to her corpse, and cried.

"Why… why would you be so stupid?" I cried, totally aware that this is what it would come to. "Why would you follow him? What does he do to people?"

I brushed aside my tears, then walked back to the inner gate and opened it.


	21. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Duel of Twilight**

I pushed open the gates with both hands, then walked once again into the pure white castle. There in front of me was the room Amy and I had stood in so long ago. I walked forward with resolve, knowing that a long, trying battle was ahead of me.

After opening the crystal door and treading in, I noticed the staircase was different. It was now in a square spiral shape. I tread up them, fighting the remaining Luce he sent at me, eventually reaching the second crystal door. I opened it and tread into Charon's throne room.

Inside the familiar room, Charon sat on his throne, raised up on a dais. I tread in slowly, Phoenix Sword still in my hands. He looked at me indifferently as I strode up to his throne.

"So, Dark Boy, you're still alive. How unexpected." He started. "Guessing from that look in your eyes, I'd say you want another beating."

"You're wrong, Charon. To think that I, of all people, would get killed now is really stupid," I said arrogantly. "You don't scare me any more. Now, let's get down to it."

"So arrogant," he replied. Then, in the blink of an eye, he rushed me with is lances, but I stopped his attack by holding the Phoenix Sword in front of me horizontally, then swiping them to the ground once they were within range.

"It seems you are not to be doubted any more," Charon said. Then he used one lance to swing at me, the other to thrust. I vaulted behind him, then slashed at his back. Charon, however, stopped his lance in mid-swing, using it instead to block my attack.

I then jumped back, using the time to come up with an idea. Charon turned around and charged at me, moving as fast as I could. I used a well-placed swing to knock his weapons from his hands. Kneeling in front of me, I saw despair in his eyes.

"So, this is the best you got? I'm disappointed," I taunted him, holding my blade inches from his throat.

"Heh… you'll have to do a lot better than that if you want to defeat me!" he yelled, then disappeared in a flash of light toward the center of the room. When I looked at him, Charon had combined his two lances into a massive quarterstaff; it was immense, probably about as long as my own Phoenix Sword.

"Come, hero," he taunted again. I blazed at him, using a vertical slash once I was close. He used his quarterstaff to block my attack, sending out a shockwave that crumbled the pillars and throne.

Then Charon quickly whirled his staff around, using it to strike me in the abdomen before I could react. I was sent flying through the castle walls until I finally landed on the dusty, floating island I had first emerged on.

I stood up, bleeding a little. Looking up, I saw Charon come flying out of his castle. There he floated, in the center of all the islands, ready for the next round.


	22. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Ashes to Ashes**

I charged up at Charon, sort of flying. As I made my slash, he parried it once again with the center of his new staff, causing another shockwave and stirring the dust on the floating islands.

In the air, we did a set of quick attacks and parries, neither Charon nor I scoring a hit. Falling to the island below us, we blazed at each other, cutting in attacks too fast to be seen by normal humans.

After the clash, Charon and I stood on opposite sides of the dusty, small floating island. We paused for a moment, our backs to each other, in a recoil pose. A small bit of my coat sleeve was cut, but I turned around to see a gash in Charon's side. He was bleeding a little.

"Hah! It'll take more than a flesh wound to slow me down," Charon proclaimed. "Just as all the other heroes challenged me, so you will meet their fate, as well!"

"No taunts will work any more, Charon. Nothing will weaken my resolve," I told him.

"Taunt? Who's taunting? You see the dust on these islands?" he asked me. "That isn't dust. Those are the ashes of all the 'heroes' I've killed. And after I have killed you, you shall meet the same fate!" Charon yelled, charging at me.

I blocked his attack again, then we did a few sets of quick attacks and parries. Eventually I got in a couple slashes on his arms, but then Charon thrusted me in the shin. It hurt… a lot. I was barely able to stand.

"You see? All 'heroes' fall before me. You will be no different!" he yelled. Whirling his quarterstaff above him, then bringing it down, the staff nearly tore me in half. I stuck my blade in the ground, then used the handle to swing around and get out of the way.

After Charon's attack, I pulled my blade out of the ground, then dragged it along until I was close to him. I then slashed it upward, jumping into the sky along with my attack, giving Charon a deep cut on his shoulder joint.

Apparently, he really didn't like being cut in his shoulder. Because after I made my attack, Charon got this really twisted look in his eyes…

Charon slowly flew up into the sky, drawing a ball of light energy around him. Then, with a great explosion, all the islands were destroyed, and I lost consciousness for a moment.

When I regained consiciousness, I was standing on… nothing. The white sky wasn't gone, but it was dotted with black stars, kind of like an inverted outer space. Charon then floated back down.

I knew it was the eleventh hour. My last chance.


	23. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Grand Cross**

As Charon slowly descended, I felt he was going to talk some more. I held my blade toward the ground as I walked forward. Eventually, we stood face to face, looking each other in the eyes with contempt.

"You're stronger than I expected… far stronger than last time. I must admit that I underestimated you… Roy. But even so, you cannot escape your fate," Charon told me.

"Fate holds no power over me. I refuse to accept whatever hand fate deals me. I will forge my own path, one no one has ever tread before. That path is my own; a path of light through the darkness," I replied.

"So, is it atonement you seek, or is it revenge? You are responsible for the deaths of all your friends. Guardian, murderer, pacifist, warrior. You are all these things, yet you are none of them. You tread a unique, lonely path, alone in the void. You have always stood alone, just as you always will," Charon answered.

"… I want to be forgiven. Knowing who and what I am…" I said, looking down at my hands, "Atoning is all I can do. So, for them, I'll kill you… and save the world!" I shouted, charging at him.

"Very well. Then allow me to shatter your delusions of grandeur," Charon finished, bracing himself for my attack. As I charged at him, Charon used his staff to block my vertical slash. We did a set of quick attacks and parries, and then he quickly whirled his staff around and stuck me in the left shoulder, pinning me against the 'ground.'

I screamed in pain, my shoulder having been dislocated in the attack. Charon backed off, jumping back a little.

"See? No matter how strong you are or what you do, you cannot defeat me. You stand alone, here, at your death," Charon taunted.

"I might be alone in body, but not in spirit!" I yelled, charging at Charon again. I felt an otherworldly power behind me this time… plus, it felt like someone had touched me on the shoulder, then told me 'Go!'

Sora?

Before finishing my charge, knowing Charon would only parry it, I stopped short. Catching Charon off guard, I threw my Phoenix Sword at him. The blade struck him four times, then launched him into the air. I grabbed the blade and followed him into the air, sticking my blade through his stomach and turning it.

For the next part of my final attack, I pulled my Phoenix Sword out of Charon, then threw it above him, separating it into its four components; the Buster Sword, Masamune, Zangetsu, and Souba. Then I took each of them and slashed through him, recombining my swords into the Dragon Blade and Soubasune. I repeated the process, this time recombining the swords into the Phoenix Sword. Finally, I dived straight through him, using my blade to shear a hole in him.

Charon fell to the 'ground,' a bloody mess in every regard. His torso was almost severed, and his arms and legs were cut up. I tread up to him to hear his final words.

"Tell me… what kind… of fate are… you searching for?" Charon asked, with most of his final words.

"MY fate. One I'll find someday," I told him.

"A wanderer…" he gasped, then let out his death rattle.

"I'm sorry it had to end this way," I said to nobody. Then a flash of light transported me back to the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. I raised my hand, summoning the Keyblade, then pointed the mystical weapon at the high moon. The Keyblade shot out a beam of light.

The light shone down on me, revealing the Keyhole and locking it at the same time. I held the Keyblade and my Phoenix Sword as everything went bright again…


	24. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty: Oblivion**

I felt water all around me while I reawakened. I opened my eyes to a pitch-black, starry sky. My arms were outstretched to my sides, and I was lying down in the Reflecting Pool. All my wounds were healed, and all my blades were back in their respective sheaths.

Sitting up, I looked around the area. Nobody was to be seen, but streetlights were on. So were the lights in the memorials. Wading out of the Reflecting Pool, I began to walk down the street. People seemed to be back, though. Meandering and drifting, I eventually made it back to Washington State.

_Three months later…_

After I got back to Washington (which took about a week), my family asked where I'd been. I said I'd run away. True, I was grounded for the rest of summer vacation, but… eh.

Nothing remained of my journey, save my coat and black mark. My trench coat was torn up and ragged, and of course my family asked me where I got it. I replied by saying I'd bought it during my 'rebellion.'

Nobody ever saw that black mark on me… I never wear sleeveless shirts, so nobody ever will. Despite my exploits, nobody else remembered anything of that journey. I asked Jason, Amy, and Serenity about it when we got back to school.

Nobody else knew anything about that. They were completely oblivious to what had happened. I was the only one who knew anything about that year.

Regardless, on Halloween, I wore my old, ragged trench coat. They seemed to know something about it, as if it were a far off memory.


	25. Epilogue

**Epilogue: Another Journey?**

_Two Months Later…_

It was Christmas evening. I was standing out in the slowly, steadily falling snow, once again training with my four pieces of steel. Training in my old traveling clothes (including my trench coat, leather gloves and boots), I reflected on all that had happened.

I had saved the world… or had I?

Training even more fiercely, I thought about all that happened to me… the killing of my friends… the killing of the Order of Light… Charon's death… all of it was my fault.

Was I the ultimate cause of all this?

"Whoa, Roy! When did you get so good?" Jake asked me, stepping outside. "You're way better than last time I saw you train! How did you get so good?"

"Does it matter? What do you want, anyway?" I asked him.

"Nothing. Dad's done carving the ham, though. It's like… time to eat," he replied, using a surfer-like tone.

"Tch! Fine…" I muttered, sheathing my cold steel. I was getting a little tired, anyways, and I was a bit cold. I followed Jake to the door, but he was a few steps ahead of me.

Before I could get to the door, though, blizzard-like conditions whipped up around me. I used my hands to block my eyes from the ripping winds. Turning around, I saw someone's silhouette appear in the raging winds and snow. They were walking toward me.

I couldn't sense anything from them… and just as fast as the blizzard had raged up, it dissipated.

"Roy, what are you waiting for? The ham's getting cold fast!" Jake yelled, opening the door.

"I'll be there in just a second!" I yelled back. I slowly tread through the snow, hearing it crunch under my feet.

In the center of the yard, I grinned to myself.

"Looks like I might have another journey ahead of me!"

**THE END**


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